Blood‑Hot Birthday for Tultepec
On the morning of July 6 2018, a chain reaction of blasts tore through the fireworks‑filled back alleys of Tultepec, a town of 65,000 people just north of Mexico City. By the time the first smell of gunpowder fizzed over the packed workshops, the death toll had already hit at least 24 people. The dead were not all factory workers – four firefighters and five police officers drop the curtain too early, trying to put out a fire larger than the one that started it all.
What Went Down
- First bang at 9:30 am (1430 GMT) – the initial explosion lit the fuse.
- Alarm bells rang as police and firefighters rushed in, only to see the next workshop rumble to a live, too‑early show.
- Hundreds of soldiers, police and firefighters cordoned off a wide stretch around the smoldering workshops in Xahuento.
A lonely 14‑year‑old, Allan Osvaldo, turned up almost fumbles‑ing for a missing dad. “I left school to find him, but people keep me out. No one shares any info,” he told a reporter, eyes wide with worry. Thirty‑four hours later, the desperate father—there was name himself—re-emerges, jittery but alive: “I heard a boom, ran out, and inhaled a cloud of smoke. Still… I’m … grateful to be fine.”
“Fire“ Raining from the Sky
Amid the clamor, the air was thick with a gun‑powder dirt, sporadic detonations punctuating the calm like a bad drumbeat. Charred meager furniture and bricks lay sprawled across the grass, beyond even the safety buffer. A 62‑year‑old neighbor, Alondra Perez, said the blast felt like a sky‑spilling firestorm: “I was having breakfast when a huge white cloud exploded out. Today, it rained fire.”
Two badly damaged firetrucks stared beside a broken workshop. An anonymous police officer offered a chilling snapshot: “In these shops, we keep making fireworks – it’s their way of life, but they ignore the consequences. That’s why our firefighters… end up dead trying to save these people.”
Official Response
- Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto sent his condolences via Twitter; the Army and Interior Ministry stepped in.
- All fireworks sales in the area were suspended for a breather.
- Interior Minister Alejandro Ozuna promised a “thorough review” of all workshop permits.
Tultepec has a history of explosive mishaps. In June 2016, a rocket fired off in a crowded market sent a chain reaction that killed 42 people. 2018’s blast reminded us that the tradition of fireworks still burns bright – even as it threatens the lives of those who keep the town lit.
Eyewitness, Retired Craftsman, & One Eyebrow‑Raise
Retired fireworks maker Manuel Guerrero, 63, said, “This is our work, this is how we eat. Half the town makes its living from this. If you’re one of the unlucky ones, well, that’s the way it is. We just have to keep going. Life goes on.”
