Society News

Fire at the Tabasco fair in Villahermosa kills five exhibitors who could not get out

A fire at the Feria Tabasco 2026 in Villahermosa, in southeastern Mexico, killed five people early on Thursday, May 7. The blaze broke out in Hall 1 (Nave 1) of Parque Tabasco, where the annual state fair had been running since May 2. Civil Protection firefighters brought it under control and security forces cordoned off the park.

Reuters reported that the fire broke out early in the morning during a concert attended by thousands, and that authorities did not know what caused it. Tabasco Governor Javier May said the dead included fair exhibitors who could not leave the premises in time, that investigations had begun, and that an economic recovery programme would help affected merchants and businesses.

“We will not leave them alone.” — Governor Javier May, via Infobae (translated)

Argentina-based Infobae gave a different timeline: the fire began around 2:00 a.m., after the site had closed to the public. It said early reports spoke only of material damage before the governor confirmed the five deaths, and noted that Grupo Frontera had played at the fair's Foro Tabasco the night before. The fair, opened by Enrique Iglesias, was due to end on May 10.

How each outlet framed it

• Reuters — a short wire report: five dead, an unknown cause and the governor's pledge of help.
• Infobae — the exact hall and hour, the shift from “no injuries” to five deaths, and the fair's concert line-up.

Where the reports differ: Reuters placed the fire during a concert; Infobae said it started after the venue had closed, with the concert held the evening before.

What we don't know yet: the cause of the fire and whether the fair would continue.