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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | September 2005 
Fire Destroys Mexican Fireworks Market
 Lisa J. Adams - Associated Press
| | A fireman throws water on a fireworks market in Tultepec, Mexico. (Photo: Associated Press) |
Tultepec, Mexico – A fire destroyed Mexico's most famous fireworks market Thursday, setting off a chain of explosions in a town northeast of the nation's capital that destroyed hundreds of open-air stands just ahead of Independence Day celebrations.
Astonishingly, there were no reports of deaths and only three serious injuries reported by late afternoon, Mexico State Civil Defense Director Roberto Vazquez told The Associated Press.
He said about 100 people had been treated for nervous shock or cuts and bruises suffered as they frantically raced from the exploding marketplace in Tultepec, a few miles (kilometers) northeast of Mexico City.
Vazquez said there were rumors someone had thrown a lit firecracker inside the San Pablito Market and it set off a chain of explosions that completely destroyed the market, covering an area of some 5,000 square yards.
A towering plume of gray smoke rose over the charred and shattered remains of about 300 stands, as well as 23 damaged or destroyed vehicles.
A sign on the entrance to town proclaims: "Welcome to Tultepec, the fireworks capital." A large percentage of Tultepec's people earn their livings from making and selling fireworks.
The explosion occurred hours before one of Mexico's biggest annual fireworks displays, the midnight Independence Day festivities that are celebrated with rockets and explosives throughout the country.
The Televisa television network said the initial blast occurred at about 1:45 p.m. (2:45 p.m. EDT, 1845 GMT). Radio reporters said they could still hear periodic explosions from the scene more than an hour later.
Firecrackers, skyrockets and huge whirling castles of fireworks are common at Mexican weddings, rural religious processions, village celebrations and on major national holidays.
While manufacturers are supposed to be licensed by Mexico's Defense Department, many fireworks are produced in small workshops – often in homes – whose owners don't bother with permits.
There have been repeated, deadly explosions across the country.
On New Year's Eve 2002, a spark set off boxes of fireworks being sold illegally at a major shopping area in the Gulf port city of Veracruz, killing 28 people and consuming a city block.
An explosion of illegally stored fireworks in September 1999 killed 63 people, injured hundreds and leveled part of downtown Celaya in west-central Mexico.
At least 68 people were killed in 1988 due to a fireworks explosion in Mexico City's sprawling La Merced central market.
Associated Press writer Gloria Perez contributed to this report from Toluca, Mexico. |
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