(MENAFN) A devastating explosion followed by an inferno at a department store in Hermosillo, capital of Mexico's northern Sonora state, has killed at least 22 people, local media reported Saturday.

The blast struck during afternoon hours at a chain retail outlet situated in the city's central district, according to reports. Eyewitnesses described flames rapidly consuming the structure and spreading to vehicles parked nearby, leaving multiple victims trapped within the burning building.

Emergency response units deployed immediately to the disaster site, launching search-and-rescue missions while rushing wounded survivors to area medical facilities for treatment.

Initial investigative findings indicate the catastrophe may have originated from smoke emissions caused by a defective transformer, authorities noted.

Officials in Sonora have definitively eliminated terrorism as a potential cause, ruling out any connection to extremist activity.

The incident marks one of the deadliest retail disasters in the region's recent history, with recovery operations continuing as investigators work to determine the full scope of casualties and structural damage.

MENAFN02112025000045017169ID1110281477