Fuel Truck Explosion in Haiti Kills 24, Survivors Suffer Severe Burns

Fuel Truck Explosion in Haiti Kills 24, Survivors Suffer Severe Burns

By A devastating fuel truck explosion in Haiti’s southern peninsula claimed the lives of 24 people on Saturday and left 40 others injured, many of them with severe burns, authorities said.

The explosion occurred near the coastal city of Miragoane in the Nippes department. According to officials, half of the injured survivors are suffering from third-degree burns. Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the site, describing the aftermath as a “horrible scene” and confirmed that the most critically injured victims had been evacuated by helicopter for specialized care.

Local hospitals have been overwhelmed by the number of burn victims. Emergency services are providing medical assistance as quickly as possible to relieve the strain on healthcare facilities. “Many dozens of victims have been severely burned,” Conille said in a video shared by the government.

According to Haiti’s emergency services, the injured include mostly men, along with three women and a child. Details about the identities of the deceased have not been released.

Eyewitness reports suggest the truck’s gas tank was punctured by another vehicle, prompting people to gather and collect the leaking fuel, resulting in the deadly blast. “Those who were close to the truck got pulverized,” one witness said in a video interview with Echo Haiti Media.

Fuel deliveries in the Miragoane region have been delayed recently, as trucks are being transported via ferry to avoid gang-controlled highways surrounding the capital, Port-au-Prince. Gang violence and control over key routes have exacerbated Haiti’s humanitarian crisis, leading to mass displacements and a nationwide state of emergency.

This incident is reminiscent of a similar tragedy in 2021, when 60 people were killed in Cap-Haitien after a fuel truck exploded, further highlighting the country’s ongoing struggles with fuel shortages and insecurity.