At least 24 killed in fuel tanker explosion

Twenty-four people have been killed in Haiti after a fuel tanker exploded, according to local authorities.

Dozens more people have been left seriously injured – some suffering burns to 80% of their bodies, according to Haitian Prime Minister Garry Coville.

The incident happened on Saturday near the commune of Miragoane, about 100km (60 miles) west from the capital Port-au-Prince.

According to media reports, the tanker collided with another vehicle and began leaking fuel onto the road. The explosion happened as people were rushing to collect the spilt fuel.

“It’s a horrible scene we’ve just witnessed,” Mr Coville said at Port-au-Prince airport’s tarmac, where some of the injured were arriving.

He vowed to do everything in his power to ensure the victims received the medical care they needed.

Emmanuel Pierre, head of Haiti’s civil protection agency, told the AFP news agency that the original death toll of 16 was later revised up when more bodies were found near the explosion site.

It is not the first time there have been multiple fatalities in Haiti due to a gas tanker explosion.

More than 60 people died following a similar incident in 2021.

Haiti has been undergoing a period of severe violence and instability, as the government battles violent gangs that have taken control of parts of the country.

Earlier this month, the Haitian authorities expanded a state of emergency.