Camión atropella a peregrinos; hay 16 muertos http://t.co/qPunWv0VXH
A cargo truck tore through a religious procession in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas on Thursday, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 30, the Associated Press reported.
The tragedy took place in Mazapil, a small city in the northern area of the state, during the yearly celebrations of the town's patron saint. The driver of a heavy cargo truck lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a procession heading to the saint's shrine, running over several people in the process.
Local reports differed on the exact number of casualties. La Jornada, a daily newspaper, cited local Red Cross officials to say 18 had died and 20 had been wounded. For its part, Excelsior, another daily, reported that local authorities had the death-toll at 19.
The local police department referred all questions to the Zacatecas Ministry of Public Protection. The Ministry did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News' questions on the exact number of casualties. The main line at the Governor's palace rang unanswered for several minutes.
"We will provide all our support to the families of the deceased, as well as to those who were injured in the accident." said Zacatecas State Governor Alfonso Reyes, according to Excelsior.
Mazapil lies an 8 hours' drive north of Mexico City, in the heart of Mexico's silver country. Under Spanish colonial rule, it was an important mining center.
Thumbnail credit Siete24.