A month has passed since the fire that occurred on November 1 at a Waldo’s store in Hermosillo, Sonora, which left 24 people dead and 14 people dead, but time still seems stopped there. The altar, located in front of what remains of the place, has become a point of memory. Many whisper that they knew one of the 24 victims, others only leave flowers, candles, messages. Silence.
Until now, The Prosecutor’s Office has carried out 553 actions and no arrests; only some officials have been removed from their positions. According to prosecutor Gustavo Rómulo Salas Chávez, the investigation is progressing between expert reports, interviews, technical analysis and office proceedings.
Highlights include 150 expert opinions, including those identifying victims, and 148 interviews between employees, managers, witnesses and family members. There were also 198 official requests addressed to public and private institutions. To these, specialized studies are added to determine the precise causes of the incident.
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In addition to the human loss, small merchants report collapses in their economies
On an economic level, the area has not managed to rise. According to the Union of Merchants of the Center of Hermosillo, sales plummeted 50%, which represents losses of more than 67.5 million pesos for local businesses.
The smallest stores — those that depend on daily flow to survive — have been hit the hardest. “The big chains take care of their interests. We are taking care of the food for our families,” laments Rubén López Peralta, president of the Union of Merchants of the Center of Hermosillo.
This situation, he explains, has put at risk the stability of hundreds of families that depend on small and medium-sized businesses in the commercial heart of the city.
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As a Union of Merchants, he points out, will take legal action against Waldo’s and against whoever is responsible for the damages caused; and adds that they are only waiting for the results of the Prosecutor’s Office to proceed in accordance with the law.
Hermosillo still breathes smoke from the tragedy. The city center is a mosaic of feelings, lit candles and families clinging to the memories of the 24 people who died at the scene.
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