The incident occurred on the evening of September 5 (local time) in the town of Santa Maria Canchesda, central Mexico during a local festival.
According to images posted by local media channels, the large explosion occurred when people were gathered crowded outside the church to perform traditional rituals. In this ritual, a model of a straw cow attached with fireworks was burned and carried around the town.
The explosion caused part of the church roof and walls of many surrounding structures to collapse. A fire broke out in the town's square, causing the crowd to panic and flee. Meanwhile, some victims were trapped under the rubble.
Civil defense forces, the military and state police are mobilized to respond to emergencies and deploy security procedures.
The Mexico State Institute of Fireworks inspected the scene to detect active explosives and issued recommendations for experts to dismantle and neutralize these materials to minimize risks.
