CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett has expressed her “profound sorrow” at the loss of life in Haiti, after a tanker truck loaded with fuel exploded on Monday night, killing more than 60 people in Haiti.
“I want to express on behalf of the Community my profound sorrow at the loss of life as a result of the explosion of a gas tanker in Haiti’s second city Cap Haitien. More than 50 people have been confirmed dead with the numbers rising,” Barnett said.
In the meantime, Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has declared three days of mourning “in memory victims of this tragedy”.
He said field hospitals deployed in Cap-Haitien to provide necessary care to “the victims of this terrible explosion.”
Early reports indicate that the tanker was trying to avoid an oncoming motorcycle when it veered and flipped early Tuesday.
Most of those killed were local residents who rushed to retrieve fuel from the overturned truck. The fire spread, setting fire to vehicles, motorcycles, and at least 30 houses nearby.
Hours after the blast, buildings and overturned vehicles were still smoking as firefighters covered burned bodies in white sheets and loaded them onto the back of a construction truck.
Haitians for months have been scrambling to find gasoline amid shortages that have shuttered gas stations, sent fuel prices spiraling on the black market and forced businesses to close.
On Wednesday, residents continued to pick through charred vehicles and buildings adjacent to the tanker truck’s skeleton.
Holding rags to their noses, some peeked under a white sheet draped over a body.
CMC
