At least 39 people were killed and dozens more were injured when a fire broke out at a migrant processing facility in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, early on Tuesday morning, according to local accounts.
According to two rescue officials with the local government who spoke to Reuters, the number of fatalities is anticipated to increase throughout the day.
The Stanton International Bridge, which connects El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, is conveniently located near the compound.
Although formal reports have not yet been made public, local news outlets El Diario and El Heraldo have reported that at least 37 individuals were killed.
About 40 additional survivors were rescued and likely brought to local clinics for treatment.
Soldiers and firemen were captured on camera escorting the wounded inside the National Migration Institute structure.
Just before midnight, a fire broke out, necessitating the dispatch of multiple fire engines and scores of firefighters.
According to Breitbart News, undocumented immigrants often gather in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, before making the journey to El Paso, Texas, in order to enter the United States.
According to the BBC, local newspapers speculated that a commotion occurred inside the center just before the fire broke out. However, authorities have remained silent on the matter.
Reuters footage shows several corpses covered in blankets lying outside the structure.
The office of the Mexican attorney general is reportedly investigating the incident and has dispatched police to the location.