Photo taken by a mobile device on Dec. 20, 2016 shows the site of a blast at the San Pablito fireworks market in Tultepec, Mexico. (Xinhua/Str)
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Twenty six people were killed in a fireworks market explosion near Mexico City on Tuesday, Mexico State prosecutor Alejandro Gomez said.
Gomez raised the toll of the blast from the previous nine deaths, according to local television.
Earlier Tuesday, Mexican federal police said via Twitter that at least nine people were killed in an explosion Tuesday at the San Pablito fireworks market in Tultepec, a town in the State of Mexico close to the capital Mexico City.
Some 60 people were initially reported by Luis Felipe Puente, director of Civil Protection, to have been injured in the blast.
Firefighters and rescue teams from the state and capital converged at the site following the blast around 3 p.m. local time (0900GMT).
Images posted on social networks and news websites showed a thick column of grey smoke billowing high into the sky above the market.
In a video footage of the incident, apparently posted by a motorist driving by the scene, scores of firecrackers could be seen going off at once in different directions, as well as small explosions.
The injured were being taken to different hospitals.
