In the early hours of February 12, 2025, a devastating fire broke out at Central de Abasto (Ceda), Mexico City’s largest wholesale market, located in Iztapalapa.
The fire, which started in Warehouse 4 in the Flowers and Vegetables section, quickly spread to five industrial warehouses, affecting businesses that stored floral materials, plastics, and Styrofoam products.
According to emergency reports, the first alert came from local vendors, who noticed the flames and immediately called the Mexico City Fire Department. Authorities promptly activated emergency protocols to contain the rapidly growing blaze.
Fire Contained After Intense Efforts
🔥 Timeline of Events:
✅ Fire broke out before dawn—initial reports suggest it started around 2:00 AM.
✅ Firefighters and emergency teams arrived quickly to battle the flames.
✅ Over 50 people evacuated as a precaution.
✅ Fire officially extinguished by 7:30 AM, followed by cooling and debris removal.
The Heroic Fire Department of Mexico City, in coordination with:
✔️ Mexico City’s Public Security Secretariat (SSC)
✔️ Iztapalapa Mayor’s Office
✔️ Civil Protection teams
✔️ Cruz Roja paramedics
worked tirelessly to prevent the fire from spreading further.
Injuries and Damage Assessment
Despite the intensity of the fire, there were no fatalities, though two individuals suffered injuries:
🚑 Injured individuals:
✔️ A firefighter sustained second-degree burns to the face.
✔️ A police officer suffered a contusion on the left leg.
Fortunately, neither required hospitalization. Authorities are now assessing the structural damage to prevent any flare-ups or potential future risks.
What Caused the Fire? Investigation Underway
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire. However, speculation suggests possible electrical failures or the mishandling of flammable materials, both common causes of warehouse fires in the area.
👀 Possible causes under investigation:
🔹 Electrical short circuits in the market’s aging infrastructure
🔹 Combustible materials stored improperly
🔹 Human negligence or accidents in handling flammable products
A Troubling Pattern: Recent Fires at Central de Abasto
This is not the first major fire at Central de Abasto. The market has seen multiple fires in recent months, raising concerns about safety protocols and fire prevention measures.
📅 Recent Fires in Central de Abasto:
🔹 December 16, 2024: Fire damaged three trailer containers in the Fruits and Vegetables section. No injuries reported.
🔹 December 11, 2024: A trailer caught fire, but the damage was minimal.
🔹 April 7, 2023: Fire broke out in three warehouses storing wooden pallets, PET bottles, and charcoal. It took over five hours to control.
However, the most devastating fire in Central de Abasto’s history occurred in November 2006, when flames engulfed large portions of the market, causing:
✔️ Millions of dollars in losses
✔️ Destruction of warehouses and food supplies
✔️ 17 injuries among workers and vendors
Is Central de Abasto at Risk for More Fires?
The frequency of these incidents raises concerns about fire prevention measures at Central de Abasto. With thousands of vendors and millions of pesos worth of merchandise stored daily, the market’s infrastructure needs improvements to avoid future disasters.
Fire Safety Concerns:
🔥 Aging electrical systems in warehouses
🔥 Lack of fire suppression systems in some areas
🔥 Storage of highly flammable materials (plastic, wood, textiles)
🔥 Emergency response coordination challenges
Officials have vowed to work with market authorities to enhance safety measures, including increased fire inspections and improved infrastructure.
A Wake-Up Call for Market Safety
As Mexico City’s largest food and goods distribution hub, Central de Abasto is vital to the economy. However, repeated fires highlight the urgent need for better fire prevention policies.
While authorities successfully contained this latest fire, questions remain about long-term solutions to prevent future tragedies.
🚨 Should stricter regulations be enforced to protect vendors and workers?For now, businesses affected by the fire will need time to recover, and authorities must act to ensure Central de Abasto remains a safe and functional market.
TE PODRÍA INTERESAR