The military, which is in charge of issuing fireworks sales permits, was deployed to help emergency crews transport casualties to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter.
Ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles and army trucks all crowded the sprawling blast area.
Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted his condolences to the families of those killed and his wishes for recovery for those hurt.
The cause of the blast was under investigation. Some speculated it could have been mishandling of gunpowder or other fireworks components.
That was the cause of a September 15, 2005 explosion at another fireworks market set up ahead of the Independence Day holiday. That market was destroyed.
The following year, another explosion destroyed more than 200 sellers’ stands. Both incidents left dozens of injured, but no fatalities.
Alejandra Pretel, a resident in Tultepec, told AFP that she didn’t realize at first that the explosions were coming from the large fireworks market.
“We thought it was a nearby fireworks workshop,” she told AFP.
But minutes later it became evident that it was the market being destroyed.
“My neighbours said they felt everything shake, but I didn’t realize because I was running away,” she said.
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(Sourced from agencies, feature image courtesy:oneindia.com)
