Eyewitnesses state that some people from the community were attempting to collect the spilled gasoline when the explosion took place, resulting in severe injuries and fatalities.
“When the tanker fell, many people came from all over the town. Some were only looking as the gas was spilling, but others brought containers and were collecting the gas,” an eyewitness told the Daily Observer. “So in no time, the tanker caught fire as many people began running helter-skelter. Many people could not escape the blast.”
In his media briefing with the press on Wednesday, December 27, Chief Medical Officer Kateh cautioned that the death toll could potentially increase as house-to-house contact tracing continues. Among the deceased are one woman and three children ranging from ages 6 to 9. Patients with more severe injuries are being transferred to various hospitals in Monrovia, including the JFK Medical Center, 14-Military Hospital, St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital, and ELWA Hospital.
The situation remains tragic, and efforts are ongoing to provide medical support and assistance to those affected by this devastating incident.
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