Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

A shocked firefighter has sent out his own emergency call after discovering his wife is pregnant with incredible 13 babies.

Fireman Antonio Soriano is already the dad of twins and triplets in Ixtapaluca, eastern Mexico.

Now his wife Maritza Hernandez Mendez is reportedly due to give birth to 13 more youngsters.

An appeal to help the family cope has been set up by local councillor Gerardo Guerrero.

He said: “Bringing this matter to this worthy gathering is because I need to make a call for solidarity, first of all I would like the gentleman of this body to recognise and join in making a donation to cover the expenses for this family, because he is an outstanding firefighter with 14 years of service, here in Ixtapaluca, but despite that the salary that firefighters are paid or indeed most salaries will quietly clearly not be sufficient for 19 children.”

He told how the firefighter’s wife has a history of multiple births.

He said: “On July 1, 2017 they had their first baby called Antony, on May 3, 2020, they had twins: Paola María and Dafne, on August 18, 2021 they had triplets Caterin, Alondra and Jimena, which means that so far we have six children the family and I want to inform you that in the next few days this couple will have 13 more children.”

He then added: “That is 13, I said it right, 13”.

He explained he wants the public to join in helping the firefighter and his wife when she gives birth in Toluca hospital, where a specialist team is preparing for the multiple births.

Yet despite the extreme risk, the council insisted that medics have told him all 13 babies are doing well.

He pointed out that it was extremely rare to have so many babies and urged the mayor Felipe Arvizu to step in and make sure that financial worries were not one of the things the new family had to concern themselves with.

The council has not yet made any official comment on whether they approved the request.