Roof of church collapses in Mexico, killing at least 10

Tampico Bishop José Armando Alvarez said in a statement on social media Oct. 1, 2023, that “the roof of the parish of Holy Cross” collapsed while parishioners were “celebrating the baptism of their children.” / Credit: Facebook de la Parroquia de la Santa Cruz

CNA Staff, Oct 2, 2023 / 16:55 pm (CNA).

The roof of a Catholic church in the Mexican city of Madero collapsed on Sunday, killing at least 10 people while they were attending Mass, authorities said following the disaster. 

Tampico Bishop José Armando Alvarez said in a statement on social media on Sunday that “the roof of the parish of Holy Cross” collapsed while parishioners were “celebrating the baptism of their children.”

“We continue to pray for the speedy recovery of the people who have been rescued,” Alvarez said, “and we maintain firm hope that the people who are still trapped under the debris will be rescued alive.”

The Conference of the Mexican Episcopate likewise confirmed the collapse in a statement, with the bishops writing that they were “united in prayer in the face of the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered by several faithful” in the collapse. 

Video circulating on social media appeared to depict the moment of the roof’s collapse on Sunday.

By Monday morning, at least 10 people were reported dead in the tragedy. In a subsequent video message, Alvarez said rescue workers were “doing the necessary work to get the people out who are still under the rubble.”

“Today we are living a very difficult moment,” the bishop said in the address. Several dozen more parishioners were reported injured. 

Authorities said approximately 100 people were in the parish at the time of its collapse. ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, reported that members of the Red Cross were reportedly on the scene as well as local rescue workers and military. 

“May the Lord help us all and may this painful experience that we are living be our strength,” Alvarez said in his address, according to ACI Prensa. 

Ciudad Madero is located in the state of Tamaulipas on the eastern coast of Mexico, about 250 miles from the Texas border. 

The Diocese of Tampico lies just outside of Madero proper.