Fireworks Blast Next to Church Kills at Least 10

Pyrotechnic material exploded during a festival for a patron saint in a town in central Mexico, collapsing a wall, killing at least 10 people and injuring another 64, Mexican authorities said. The explosion occurred Saturday night next to the Nuestra Señora de la Luz church in Temascalcingo, a municipality in Mexico State with 66,000 residents, the AP reports. Hundreds of them were preparing to watch a fireworks display that is part of a religious festival when the blast occurred. The municipality is about 100 miles northwest of Mexico City.

The cause of the explosion has not been determined and the Mexico State Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation. A local bishop said two priests are among the injured. Videos shared on social media show the aftermath of the blast, with dozens of people walking through smoke and debris in search of survivors. Explosions involving pyrotechnics are common in Mexico, where fireworks are frequently used in street celebrations and religious festivals. Almost four years ago, a powerful fireworks explosion in a village in the municipality of Huejutla, in the central state of Hidalgo, left 17 people injured.