The ABC Day Care Center Fire in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, took place on Friday, June 5, 2009. Forty four children died that day and the death toll subsequently rose as additional children succumbed to their injuries. As of June 7, 44 toddlers and infants were reported killed as a result of the blaze. Five additional children died in the coming weeks, raising the final death toll to 49. Over 40 infants and toddlers and six adults were hospitalized with burns.FireThe blaze started at 3pm on Friday, June 5, 2009. It was initially reported that the fire began in a tire warehouse next door and then spread to the child care center. Further investigation revealed that the actual source was a different warehouse, one operated by the state government. Within just a few minutes the fire caused the collapse of a roof section which fell on the children, infants and employees below. One of the first responders on the scene reported that all children were unconscious or dead and there were no sounds of children crying.Firefighters took two hours to contain the blaze."They told me that this happened in a matter of five minutes," said Hermosillo Mayor Ernesto Gándara."According to what our people saw, there was an explosion followed immediately by flames," reported Daniel Karam, the director of the Mexican Social Security Institute . "We began to smell smoke and the alarm went off. But it was explosive and there was no chance to get more children out," stated María Adriana Gasca Sandoval, a daycare aide.Over 142 children were attending the day care center at the time of the blaze, according to Sonora Governor Eduardo Bours, "There were 142 children in the nursery, 35 have died, and another 41 are hospitalized."
