At least 60 people died in Haiti when an accident tanker exploded on Tuesday and was looted by dozens of residents. The tragedy occurred during the early morning in Haitian cape, the second most important city in the country.
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Health authorities warned that hospitals in the area are collapsed and fear that the number of fatalities will increase due to the high number of injured in critical condition.
How was the accident in which 60 people died
The event shocks this Caribbean country that is going through a serious economic and social crisis.
The driver of the tanker tried to avoid a collision with a motorcycle taxi during the early morning when he was driving through Cap Haitien. However, he lost control of the vehicle and rolled over, according to the deputy mayor, Patrick Almonor.
After the rollover, residents of the area ran to the truck and began looting the fuel, despite warnings from the driver.
The country is experiencing an acute shortage of gasoline, which has become an extremely precious commodity.
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For reasons that are still being determined, the truck exploded when it was surrounded by dozens of people.
“The death toll increases. We now have 60 deaths ”, declared Almonor. And he added: “The investigations continue.”
How was the area where a tanker exploded in Haiti and caused 60 deaths
The explosion also affected the surrounding houses.
“About twenty” houses in the surrounding area caught fire, Almonor said. “We are not yet able to give details about the number of victims inside the houses,” he said. Identifying the victims has become cumbersome due to the burns.
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The Justinien hospital, where many victims of the explosion were transferred, was overflowing with the flow of wounded, many of them in critical condition. “We do not have the means to care for the many seriously burned people“Who arrived at the health center, he told the AFP a hospital nurse.
“I’m afraid we won’t be able to save everyone. People have burns in more than 60% of the body surface ”, said the doctor Calhil Turenne.
According to the health balance, in addition to the fatalities, there were 40 seriously injured.
