A devastating fire broke out this Thursday at the Plaza Fiesta Las Palmas shopping center in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, leaving at least five people dead and 46 injured, according to local and state authorities.
The blaze began around 2:00 p.m. in the kitchen of the Casa Ley supermarket, according to reports from La Tercera. Flames spread rapidly through the mall's aisles and storefronts, forcing an immediate evacuation of customers and staff.
Arnoldo Serrano, the Deputy Prosecutor for the Northern Zone, provided preliminary figures during rescue operations. “Four dead, four bodies visible; we are being told another is in process—let’s not cause any confusion, as the processing will be very prolonged,” Serrano told local press, as reported by El Universal.
Federal response and status of the injured
Given the scale of the fire, President Claudia Sheinermbaum ordered federal intervention in the municipality of Ahome. The National Civil Protection Coordination announced the deployment of an ECO Mission (Evaluation and Coordination) to assist in the emergency response.
The operation involves personnel from the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), the state prosecutor's office, the Ahome City Council, and Sinaloa state authorities. The deployment aims to monitor the incident response and assess structural damage.
Regarding the injured, Sinaloa’s head of Civil Protection, Aurelio Roy Navarrete, explained that injuries were caused by blunt force from falling objects, burns, and smoke inhalation. Navarrete noted that of the 46 injured, 20 were treated and released on-site, while 26 were transported to various hospitals, 17 of whom remain under medical care.
Eyewitness accounts and situation on the ground
Eyewitnesses described moments of chaos as the fire consumed stores adjacent to Casa Ley. One worker interviewed by Meganoticias México reported that shortly after the fire started, a strong smell of gas was detected and objects could be seen falling inside the plaza.
Videos posted to social media showed a massive plume of black smoke visible from kilometers away. As a precaution, authorities closed nearby streets in the sector, which is located less than two kilometers from the Los Mochis Municipal Palace.
After nearly four hours of work, emergency crews managed to extinguish approximately 80% of the fire. However, authorities have kept the area cordoned off to continue inspection, cooling, and fire control efforts.
Investigations to determine the exact cause of the fire are ongoing. CNN Chile reported that this incident occurred just hours after another blaze at the ‘Dora María’ Tabasco Park in Villahermosa, which also resulted in five fatalities.
