Twenty-four people were killed and 40 injured in a series of explosions at a fireworks depot in Mexico’s Tultepec town on Thursday, reported BBC. Emergency workers are among the casualties.

The biggest explosion took place as the police and fire fighters arrived at the spot. “Emergency crews attended the call of the first explosion, when a second incident occurred, killing and injuring members of these groups,” said the government in a statement.

Two more explosions followed within an hour, said state Health Secretary Gabriel O’Shea, according to CNN. At least four workshops were destroyed. The blasts also triggered a fire but it was brought under control quickly.

Tultepec town, which is about 30 km from Mexico City, is known as the country’s pyrotechnic capital. It hosts the national pyrotechnics festival every year.

However, such blasts are not rare here. Earlier this year, an explosion had killed seven people. In 2016, more than 40 people were killed in explosions at a market in the town. After the incident, there were calls to shut down the market, but President Enrique Peña Nieto promised to rebuild it.