The death toll from a fuel truck explosion in Haiti rose to 75 on Wednesday (15), as doctors scrambled to treat the wounded in an incident that officials said was exacerbated by residents who approached the hospital. vehicle in a desperate search for fuel.
Rescuers recovered 61 bodies at the scene of the crash, which took place on Monday night in Haiti’s second-largest city, Cap-Haitien (Cape Haitian, in free translation), while a director of the city’s main hospital said 14 more people died while being treated.
“We need all the help we can get. The hospital is not used to having so many injuries,” said Jean Gracia Coq, medical director of the Justinien University Hospital.
“The scarcity has caused people to let down their guard and not take the precautions that should be taken in relation to fuel.”
Patients with burns to 50% of their bodies were on the hospital porch due to lack of space within the facility, said Gracia Coq. The doctor also said the hospital is used to treating burn victims from home explosions in incidents involving up to 20 people.
But Monday night’s massive explosion scorched the facades of several nearby homes and shops, as well as wrecking cars and motorcycles in the streets.
A witness told Reuters the fuel truck overturned after its driver tried to avoid hitting a motorcycle.
Rescue teams have completed the search of the area, said Frandy Jean, who heads Haiti’s fire department for the northern region.
The impact of the explosion was compounded because residents were storing fuel in their homes and because some approached the truck when it overturned. “The driver warned people not to approach the truck,” Jean told Reuters. “They didn’t listen. They carried their phones, which they used (like flashlights), and some tried to drill into the tank with hammers.”
The tragedy generated an emotional lament from Pope Francis and a call to prayer for the Caribbean nation, which this year has suffered a brutal wave of gang violence, a presidential assassination and a devastating earthquake.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry visited Cap-Haitien’s main hospital on Tuesday to meet with the victims. He promised to release government funds in response to the tragedy and said the deceased would be buried at an official state funeral.
Wednesday marked the first of three days of national mourning for the victims.
Haiti suffered a dire fuel shortage for nearly a month, starting in October, when a coalition of gangs blocked access to fuel terminals, forcing the partial or complete closure of some businesses and hospitals.
Gangs lifted the blockade last month, but many Haitians say they are still struggling to find fuel.
Gangs have grown more powerful since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July, which created a political vacuum and allowed criminal groups to expand their territory.
Haiti also suffered a devastating earthquake in August that killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed homes on the country’s southern peninsula.
Reference: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
