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| Explosion at Fireworks Market in Mexico Kills at Least 26 | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| TULTEPEC, Mexico — An explosion ripped through Mexico’s best-known fireworks market on the northern outskirts of Mexico City on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 26 people and injuring scores, the federal police said. | |
| Sirens wailed and a heavy scent of gunpowder lingered in the air after the blast at the open-air San Pablito Market in Tultepec, in the State of Mexico. Most of the fireworks stalls were completely leveled. The smoking, burned-out shells of vehicles ringed the perimeter, and emergency workers and residents who rushed to help combed through the ashes. Firefighters hosed down still-smoldering hot spots. | Sirens wailed and a heavy scent of gunpowder lingered in the air after the blast at the open-air San Pablito Market in Tultepec, in the State of Mexico. Most of the fireworks stalls were completely leveled. The smoking, burned-out shells of vehicles ringed the perimeter, and emergency workers and residents who rushed to help combed through the ashes. Firefighters hosed down still-smoldering hot spots. |
| The Mexican Red Cross said it had sent 10 ambulances with 50 paramedics to the scene. | |
| “My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident and my wishes for a quick recovery for the injured,” President Enrique Peña Nieto said on Twitter. | |
| Luís Felipe Puente, the national civil protection coordinator, said some homes nearby were also damaged. The scene remained dangerous, and he asked people not to come within three miles of the explosion to avoid hampering the emergency response. | |
| Fireworks continued to pop long after the blast, and Mr. Puente added that there was no choice but to let any unexploded fireworks be consumed. | Fireworks continued to pop long after the blast, and Mr. Puente added that there was no choice but to let any unexploded fireworks be consumed. |
| Crescencia Francisco Garcia arrived in the afternoon to buy fireworks and said she was near the middle of the grid of stalls when the explosions began around 2:30 p.m. | Crescencia Francisco Garcia arrived in the afternoon to buy fireworks and said she was near the middle of the grid of stalls when the explosions began around 2:30 p.m. |
| “All of a sudden it started booming,” said Ms. Garcia, 41, a Mexico City resident. “I and the others surrounding me all took off running.” | “All of a sudden it started booming,” said Ms. Garcia, 41, a Mexico City resident. “I and the others surrounding me all took off running.” |