The fire that occurred last November 1 in a store in the center of Hermosillo, has so far left more than 20 people deadincluding minors, clients and employees. As the investigations progress, a testimony spread on social networks has raised new doubts about the possible lack of security measures and possible prior warnings within the establishment.
The woman who identified herself as an employee, Xenia Floreswho worked in the store since July 2024, He published a video in which he recounted an episode that, with the passage of time, takes on a disturbing meaning. According to her testimony, ten days after starting work, around July 28, she was summoned along with her colleagues by the supervisor and the manager of the premises to carry out an unusual instruction:
They had to write down their belongings, describe their clothing and allow photographs to be taken.
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“They told us that it was in case one day everything burned down, to know how we were coming,” Flores explained in his video.
At that moment, the worker considered the indication as something strange, but did not give it importance.
“It never crossed my mind that something like this could happen in the store or in any other, until yesterday, here in Hermosillo, the fire and explosion happened in the Center store,” he commented.
The trade that claimed dozens of lives
According to the first versions of the state authorities, the fire would have originated from a failure in the electrical system of the establishment’s warehouse. The fire and smoke spread quickly, preventing the evacuation of dozens of people who were inside.
The Secretary of the Interior of Sonora reported that carbon monoxide inhalation was the leading cause of death among victims. Witnesses indicated that, after a first explosion, several customers tried take shelter inside the premises, but the dense cloud of smoke and the rapid expansion of the fire blocked the exits, causing many to die of asphyxiation.
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Xenia Flores’ testimony went viral on social networks and has been taken up by various local media, generating commotion and questions about the security conditions in the store. Families of the victims and citizens have demanded that the authorities an exhaustive investigation to determine whether there was negligence or ignored warnings before the incident.
To date, the authorities They have not confirmed the existence of previous reports or formal complaints regarding risk at the facilities. However, the worker’s story opens new questions about prevention protocols, electrical maintenance and staff training in emergency situations.
BB