Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo ordered the temporary removal of the state's Civil Protection coordinator to ensure transparency in the investigation of the Waldo’s store fire in Hermosillo, which claimed 23 lives on November 1. The move aims to avoid conflicts of interest as the State Attorney General's Office proceeds with its inquiries. Durazo has maintained direct communication with affected families and facilitated the transfer of an injured young woman to a hospital in Arizona.
The fire at the Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo occurred on November 1 and resulted in 23 deaths, according to authorities. The main hypothesis points to a failure in a private transformer inside the establishment, though the State Attorney General's Office (FGJES) investigations have not yet definitively clarified the origin.
In response, Governor Alfonso Durazo Montaño announced the temporary separation of Armando Castañeda Sánchez, head of the State Coordination of Civil Protection, to prevent him from acting as 'judge and party' in the process. Castañeda took office on October 2, 2023, replacing Juan Manuel González, and has prior experience in Civil Protection in Agua Prieta and at the state level. Durazo stressed that this measure seeks greater certainty and transparency, acknowledging critical voices and public skepticism: 'It is legitimate that there are critical voices... they will be heard, as every decision comes from the voice of the people'.
Additionally, it was revealed that Waldo’s had been operating without an authorized Internal Civil Protection Program since 2021; the document was negatively evaluated under González's management, but operations continued unchanged. Municipal authorities have not commented, though there are reports that authorization came from Hermosillo City Hall. State Attorney Rómulo Salas Chávez stated that public servants from all three levels of government, along with 50 other people including witnesses and employees, have already been summoned to testify.
Durazo has provided direct support to families: he maintained personal communication with them and facilitated the transfer of 20-year-old María Isabel, in grave but stable condition, to Valleywise Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 5, via air ambulance with medical staff and a family member. Other injured individuals, Marco, Danna, and Gloria, remain hospitalized under state integral care. He thanked the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, and the consulate in Hermosillo for their assistance.
'Truth so there are no doubts, and justice so there is no impunity... humility to listen, firmness to act, and memory not to forget', Durazo stated, emphasizing that his government responds with truth, justice, and humanity.
