more than 40 individuals are feared dead following a tanker truck explosion in central Liberia, as reported by the country’s chief medical officer.
The tragic event unfolded when a tanker carrying gasoline crashed and overturned into a ditch near Totota, approximately 130 kilometers from the capital, Monrovia.
Dr. Francis Kateh expressed the difficulty of determining the exact number of casualties, as some victims were reduced to ashes.
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Despite challenges, he estimated that over 40 people lost their lives in the accident. Speaking to AFP, he mentioned the ongoing efforts of a team going door-to-door to identify and account for the missing individuals.
Initially, the police reported a death toll of 15, with at least 30 people sustaining injuries as onlookers gathered at the crash site.
Prince B. Mulbah, deputy inspector general for the Liberia National Police, described the grim scene, stating, “There were lots of people that got burned.”
Malvin Sackor, another police officer, revealed a troubling detail: after the crash, some locals attempted to collect the leaking gas, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that claimed lives and caused injuries.
The police are still in the process of compiling the total count of those affected.
Eyewitness Aaron Massaquoi from Totota provided a harrowing account of the aftermath.
He disclosed, “People climbed all on top of the truck taking the gas, while some of them had irons hitting the tanker for it to burst for them to get gas.”
Despite warnings from the tanker driver, who advised against climbing on the vehicle and hitting it, individuals continued to endanger themselves by using tools like screwdrivers to create holes in the tank.
The incident serves as a tragic reminder of the consequences that can unfold when safety precautions are ignored, leading to a devastating loss of lives.
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