At least 10 people have been killed and 64 others injured after pyrotechnic material exploded during a religious festival in central Mexico, authorities said.
The explosion occurred Saturday night near the Nuestra Señora de la Luz church in Temascalcingo, a municipality in Mexico State with a population of around 66,000.
Hundreds of people had gathered in the area and were preparing to watch a fireworks display held as part of celebrations honoring a patron saint when the powerful blast occurred.
The explosion caused a wall to collapse and left the surrounding area covered in smoke and debris as people searched for survivors and emergency crews responded to the scene.
Two priests were among those injured in the explosion, according to a local bishop.
The cause of the blast has not yet been determined. The Mexico State Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation to establish what led to the deadly explosion.
Temascalcingo is located approximately 160 kilometers, or 100 miles, northwest of Mexico City.
Fireworks are widely used during religious festivals and street celebrations across Mexico, and accidents involving pyrotechnic materials have occurred repeatedly in the country.
Nearly four years ago, another powerful fireworks explosion in a village in the municipality of Huejutla, in the central state of Hidalgo, injured 17 people.
