The tragic incident occurred at the Parque Tabasco fairground in Mexico on Thursday, May 7
Credit: REUTERS/Luis Manuel Lopez
NEED TO KNOW
- A fire at a fiarground in Mexico killed five people and destroyed 200 stalls early on Thursday, May 7, according to officials
- The fire reportedly broke out hours after a concert performance by a band, which was attended by approximately 135,000 people
- Authorities said they are investigating the cause of the fire and plan to support affected exhibitors following the tragedy
At least five people have died after a fire at a fairground in Mexico.
The fire broke out on early Thursday, May 7, at Parque Tabasco in Villahermosa, Mexico, Tabasco Governor Javier May Rodríguez announced in a post on X.
“During these regrettable events, five people lost their lives,” he wrote in a translated post. “So, we extend our condolences to their families and offer our full support in the wake of this unfortunate incident.”
Rodríguez said that the fire destroyed 200 stalls in Hall 1 of the Tabasco Dora María Park. Emergency services were able to get to the scene and bring the fire under control, per Mexican outlet El País.
Rodríguez also said on X that authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, which is currently unknown.
Tabasco’s Secretary of Tourism and Economic Development, Katia Ornelas, said during a Thursday press conference, per El País: “Currently, the inspection, evaluation, and expert analysis are ongoing, and these are the responsible agencies for accurately determining the circumstances and causes of what happened.”
There were approximately 135,000 people who attended the fair on Wednesday night for a concert by local band Grupo Frontera, hours before the fire took place, according to the outlet.
Videos that circulated online showed the large fire spreading through a section of the fair while visitors remained on the grounds following the band’s performance. People could be seen fleeing the scene as a thick black smoke rose up into the air.
Other clips, obtained by ABC News and Reuters, showed firefighters attempting to put out the blaze through what appeared to be a window of a structure as other emergency response teams cleared the area.
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Ornelas said that the celebratory atmosphere of the fair transformed into a moment of mourning and solidarity for the state, per El País.
Rodriguez wrote on X that the government was “deeply grateful to the public who helped evacuate the area when the disaster struck, and said that the government plans to launch “an economic recovery program for the exhibitors who were affected.”
“Together, we will move forward,” he concluded his statement on X.
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