PORTAUPRINCE: A tanker exploded in southwestern Haiti on Saturday, killing 24 people, authorities said, as witnesses said the victims tried to collect fuel leaking from the vehicle. The explosion in Miragoane injured about 40 people, with most of their bodies suffering burns, Emmanuel Pierre, head of Haiti’s civil protection office, told AFP. The death toll rose from 16 earlier in the day after rescuers found more charred bodies near the blast site, Pierre said. The injured were taken to Sainte Therese Hospital in the port city of Miragoane, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of the capital Port-au-Prince. Six were later evacuated to specialized hospitals in Port-au-Prince. Thirteen others originally scheduled for transport will remain in Miragoane, as burns on 80 percent of their bodies have made transport impossible. Interim Prime Minister Garry Conille called an emergency cabinet meeting to deal with the tragedy, Pierre said. Haiti has been plagued by instability for years, and criminal gangs have virtually taken control of its capital. Top U.S. diplomat Anthony Blinken made a rare visit on September 5, pledging $45 million in aid and stressing the need for elections that haven’t been held in Haiti since 2016. Blinken also expressed concern about the long-term future of the Kenyan Police Force, which arrived two years ago months and are tasked with stabilizing Port-au-Prince and others.
