29 children killed, dozens injured in fire at day care in Mexico

Flames engulfed a day care centre in northern Mexico on Friday, killing at least 29 children and injuring dozens as neighbors and teachers ran through thick, black smoke to pull preschoolers from the blaze, officials said. The fire apparently started at tire depot on Friday afternoon and spread to the neighbouring ABC day care center in the city of Hermosillo, said Jose Larrinaga, a spokesman for Sonora state investigators. There were about 100 children in the day care at the time. Larrinaga said the fire was controlled within two hours and that most children died of asphyxiation. We're still investigating what caused the fire and where exactly it started,'' Larrinaga said. Guadalupe Ayala, coordinator of Red Cross rescue workers, said the children ranged from six months to five years old. Firefighters had to knock holes in the walls to get the children,'' he said.