Firefighters battled a major fire that erupted at the large Walmart superstore located at the intersection of Avenida Guadalupe and the Guadalajara Ring Road (Periférico) in the early afternoon of Saturday, September 28.
Huge plumes of thick, dark smoke billowed from the store as approximately 130 firefighters fought the blaze. They finally brought the fire under control after around eight hours, but several firefighters suffered burns, decompensation, dehydration and fatigue, and were attended to by medics from various institutions, including the Cruz Verde.
Despite the prompt evacuation of the store, medical personnel called to the scene treated six civilians for smoke inhalation.
Following the blaze, inspections revealed extensive damage with a large section of the store consumed by the fire.
Zapopan Fire Department Chief Sergio Ramírez López described the blaze as one of the worst ever seen at a metro-area supermarket.
Ramírez said the fire originated in the mattress storage area and quickly spread to other sections. Though not confirmed, the mattresses were apparently located near two 5,000-gallon tanks of liquid gas.
The Walmart store is situated on the western outskirts of the metropolitan area and serves several working-class neighborhoods, including Paraisos del Colli and Arenales Tapatíos. With its likely prolonged closure, food availability in the area will be impacted, potentially increasing demand and prices.
Zapopan Mayor Juan José Frangie promised that the municipal government would expedite permits and procedures quickly to facilitate the store’s reopening.
While Walmart stores are equipped with advanced in-house firefighting equipment, procedures appeared to have failed in this instance. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the blaze and why it spread so rapidly.