MEXICO CITY — A devastating blaze at a drug rehabilitation center has claimed 12 lives and injured three others in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, a region grappling with violent crime, officials disclosed on Sunday.
Authorities reported the early Sunday morning fire in the town of San Jose Iturbe, where investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the deadly incident.
“We offer our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who perished as they attempted to overcome their addictions,” read a statement from the local government. They also pledged to assist with the funeral expenses for the victims.
Reports from local media suggest that the individuals who perished in the fire were locked inside the facility, raising serious concerns about the situation’s severity.
Rehabilitation centers across Mexico, predominantly privately run, often operate without proper regulation, underfunded and, in some cases, resort to abusive methods. These facilities have historically been the targets of attacks.
The turmoil in Guanajuato, an industrial and agricultural centerpiece of Mexico, is marked by violent skirmishes between the infamous Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel. This state records more homicides than any other in the country.
Drug cartels in Mexico have previously targeted rival distributors hiding within these rehab centers, leading to tragic outcomes.
A harrowing precedent includes a tragedy in 2020 at another Guanajuato rehab center in Irapuato, where gunmen killed 27 individuals. Additionally, similar carnage occurred in 2010 when 19 people were murdered in a rehab center attack in Chihuahua, situated in northern Mexico. A spate of incidents over the last decade underscores a troubling pattern of violence against such facilities.
Home Fire at Mexico Rehab Center in Violence-Heavy Region: 12 Dead