At least five people have been killed after a massive fire broke out at a fairground in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco state in southeastern Mexico, during a large-scale concert attended by tens of thousands. The blaze erupted in the early hours of Thursday, after the concert had begun on Wednesday night, sending thick black smoke billowing across the grounds and triggering scenes of panic.

According to official figures cited by Mexican media, as many as 135,000 people were attending the event when the fire broke out. Videos that quickly spread on social media showed screaming crowds fleeing in all directions as flames spread through the fairground. Drone footage taken later revealed the full scale of the destruction, showing the gutted remains of the fairground premises. The cause of the fire has not yet been established.

Tabasco Governor Javier May confirmed that emergency services had brought the blaze under control, posting an update to social media on Thursday to reassure the public. He expressed condolences to the families of those killed and pledged full support from state authorities. May also thanked members of the public who helped others evacuate the area safely, and announced an economic recovery programme for businesses that suffered losses in the fire.

Villahermosa, a city of roughly 650,000 people situated in the oil-rich Tabasco lowlands near the Gulf of Mexico, is the economic and administrative hub of the region. Large public fairs and concerts are common events in Mexican cities, often drawing enormous crowds. The scale of Thursday's gathering — and the speed with which the fire spread — has raised questions about crowd safety and emergency preparedness at large public events, though authorities have not yet commented publicly on those aspects of the incident.

The disaster is likely to prompt a broader review of safety standards at public gatherings across Mexico. Investigations into the precise cause and origin of the fire are expected to be announced in the coming days.