At least 40 people have died following the explosion of a gas tanker in north-central Liberia, the West African country’s chief medical officer, Francis Kateh, said on Wednesday.
The fuel truck crashed late on Tuesday in Totota, Lower Bong County, and soon after exploded, killing and injuring many who had flocked to the scene.
Dozens of people are still in hospital with serious burns, and the death toll could rise, Kateh told reporters.
The death toll is expected to go up, according to Kateh.
Many suffered injuries in the explosion, with dozens currently hospitalised for severe burns. The explosion took place when a gasoline tanker collided and overturned into a ditch along a road in Totota, approximately 130km away from the capital, Monrovia.
“We have our team going from home to home to check those that are missing,” Kateh said.
Police earlier put the death toll at 15 and said at least 30 people were injured as locals gathered at the scene.
Following the crash, some local residents had started collecting the leaking gas from the tanker when it suddenly exploded, resulting in the death of more than 40 and causing injuries to others.
Meanwhile, it was reported that people climbed onto the truck to extract gas, with some using iron objects to hit the tanker, hoping it would burst, allowing them to access the fuel.
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