12 Dead in Rehab Center Fire in Central Mexico

Twelve people were killed and three others injured in a devastating fire that broke out at a drug rehabilitation center in central Mexico, according to the Guanajuato State Attorney General’s Office on Sunday.

The blaze occurred at a rehab facility in the violence-stricken state of Guanajuato, which has been heavily impacted by drug cartel activity in recent years.

While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, authorities have previously documented attacks on similar centers by criminal groups attempting to forcibly recruit recovering addicts.

State prosecutors confirmed that forensic teams have begun gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses in an effort to determine the origin of the fire.

The facility, designed to help those struggling with addiction, quickly became a scene of tragedy as the fire swept through, leaving little time for escape.

Drug cartels in Mexico are known to target rehabilitation centers, viewing them as places to identify and coerce vulnerable individuals into joining their ranks.

These attacks are part of a broader pattern of violence associated with criminal competition and forced recruitment.

In a similar incident in April, gunmen stormed a rehab clinic in the northern state of Sinaloa, killing at least nine people.

Officials suspect such attacks are aimed at punishing those who refuse to work for the cartels.

Mexico continues to battle rising levels of violence linked to drug trafficking and organized crime.

The fire in Guanajuato adds to a series of deadly incidents highlighting the urgent need for greater protection of healthcare and rehabilitation facilities across the country.