Mexico City fireworks disaster

On December 12, 1988, an explosion and subsequent fire triggered by illegal fireworks at the La Merced Market in La Merced, a neighborhood of Mexico City, killed more than 60 people.

This article is about the 1988 disaster. For the 2016 disaster, see 2016 San Pablito Market fireworks explosion.
Mexico City fireworks disaster
DateDecember 12, 1988
Time14:30 CST
VenueLa Merced Market
LocationMexico City, Mexico
TypeFireworks disaster
DeathsAt least 62
Non-fatal injuriesUp to 83

The explosion took place at about 14:30 local time,[1] in an alley next to the main market.[2] El País reported that the fire began when a gas cylinder used by a street food vendor exploded.[3] According to one witness, a single crate of fireworks initially exploded, which triggered a chain reaction of more exploding firework crates.[4] The fireworks immediately sparked a fire that spread to several nearby buildings containing shops and apartments, as well as almost 300 stalls in the marketplace.[1][2] Fires continued for most of the rest of the day.[4]

By nightfall on the 12th, 51 people had been confirmed dead by the Red Cross, with up to 83 injuries.[4] By the 13th, the death toll had reached at least 60, with the fire department saying that 62 people had died and the police putting the number at 64.[1]

In response to the disaster, Mexico city mayor Manuel Camacho Solis ordered the sale and use of fireworks in the city to be made illegal; previously, vendors selling fireworks were required to have a permit, while their use was unregulated.[1] Local reaction to the ban was skeptical, as residents said that illegal fireworks vendors frequently bribed local officials, who then ignored complaints about the situation.[1]

References
  1. "Mexico City Bans Fireworks; Blaze Toll at 62". The Los Angeles Times. December 13, 1988. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
  2. "At Least 52 Killed in Mexico City In Fireworks Explosion and Blaze". The New York Times. December 12, 1988. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
  3. Caño, Antonio (December 13, 1988). "Tragedia en México al incendiarse un alamacén de cohetes". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  4. "Fireworks Blast in Mexico City Kills 51". The Los Angeles Times. December 12, 1988. Retrieved December 22, 2016.

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