Dynamite Blast Kills 37 in Northern Mexico

Three Mexican reporters were among those killed.

Courtesy: cstl.nist.gov

(MEXICO CITY) - Authorities in northern Mexico say an explosion involving 25 pounds of dynamite killed 37 people, possibly more, and injured more than 140 others.

CNN reports that there were 30 critically wounded people and five of the injuries were extremely critical.

Eyewitnesses say the blast took place around 40 minutes after a truck carrying the explosives collided with another vehicle and caught fire.

Apparently unaware of the impending danger, a large crowd gathered at the scene, including three Mexican reporters who had arrived to cover the initial accident. They were among the dead in the explosion that took place at a factory near Monclova, about 125 miles northwest of Monterrey.

At this point officials do not suspect foul play, the cause of the explosion is under investigation. The blast left a crater 65 feet in diameter in the road where the explosion happened in this northern state of Coahuila.