The death toll from a fiery explosion in central Mexico rose to 79 on Sunday as authorities vowed to hold accountable those responsible for a deliberate fuel-line puncture that drew hundreds of people looking to gather gasoline before it ignited.
The search for human remains at the site of the explosion in the state of Hidalgo ended late Saturday. While families began to bury the dead, officials indicated the death toll could still rise.
Health Minister Jorge Alcocer said 66 people were hospitalized in Hidalgo, and others in worse conditions had been moved to Mexico City for specialized treatment.
“There are patients in serious condition with burns to more than 80 percent (of their bodies),” he said, adding that their prognosis was “reserved.”
Alcocer said the remains of six more bodies had been recovered before the search ended, raising the death toll to 79 in Friday’s inferno.
Family members of the victims have called on the government to continue looking for remains and to bring back forensic experts for that purpose.
Funerals already have begun, but the handover of remains has been slow because many of the victims were burned beyond recognition.
The Hidalgo state prosecutor said 54 of the dead could not be readily identified, and require DNA analysis.
