Liberia gas tanker explosion: More victims confirmed dead while receiving treatment
The death toll from Tuesday’s fuel tanker accident and explosion in Liberia climbed to 52, according to Health Minister Dr Wilhelmina Jallah, after 12 more persons died from their injuries.
The tanker overturned on a road in Totota town, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Monrovia.
The cause of the crash is unclear.
According to eyewitnesses, it caught fire shortly after people rushed to the scene to retrieve petrol from the tanker.
One of the health workers disclosed that some of the victims were burnt beyond recognition.
Liberia’s President George Weah expressed sadness over the incident, saying he found images of the tragedy “deeply disturbing”, his office said.
Mr Weah pledged his “full backing to beef up manpower and equipment where necessary in the efforts of health authorities to save lives.
The outgoing president also called on the families of those who lost their lives to take solace in the Lord.
The catastrophic tanker explosion on December 26 in Totota, Liberia, had severe consequences, resulting in destruction, loss of life, and injuries. A pregnant woman, her daughter, and her husband were among those who were killed in the fire.
In response to the disaster, the Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Bong County government, carried out a mass burial to bury the victims.
