Five killed in huge fire at packed Mexico fairground

The blaze in the south-eastern city of Villahermosa erupted during a concert reportedly attended by some 135,000 people. Five killed in huge fire at packed Mexico fairground Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A drone footage later showed the scale of the disaster in Villahermosa, revealing the gutted premises at the local fairground A drone view shows the aftermath of a deadly fire at a fairground in Mexico's south-eastern city of Villahermosa, Tabasco state. Photo: 7 May 2026 At least five people have died in a huge blaze at a crowded fairground in south-eastern Mexico, local officials say. They say the blaze in the city of Villahermosa, Tabasco state, erupted during a concert in the early hours on Thursday. Mexico's El País said that, according to official information, as many as 135,000 people were attending the concert that started on Wednesday night. Footage has emerged on social media showing screaming crowds fleeing the grounds in panic. In a post on X later on Thursday, Tabasco Governor Javier May said that "the flames have already been brought under control by emergency services". He expressed condolences to the victims' families, offering them full support from the state authorities. May said he was "grateful to the public who helped evacuated the area". The governor also announced an economic recovery programme for businesses affected by the fire. A building that says Waldo's on the front is covered with black burn marks, with smoke rising from some of the windows. Police and fire services are at the scene Fire at shop in Mexico kills 23, officials say The man arrested at the event attended by President Trump appeared in court on Monday. Oz Pearlman - a self-described "mentalist" - was speaking to Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and press secretary Karoline Leavitt as the attack happened. Eight people have been killed and 25 injured in the shootings at a school and home in a rural community in western Canada, police say.