Sat Sep 14 18:15:48 UTC 2024: ## Fuel Truck Explosion in Haiti Kills at Least 16, Injures Dozens
**PORT-AU-PRINCE** – A fuel truck explosion in Haiti’s southern peninsula on September 14 resulted in at least 16 fatalities and left 40 survivors with severe burns, according to Haitian officials.
The incident occurred near the coastal city of Miragoane in the Nippes department. Witnesses reported that the truck’s gas tank was punctured by another vehicle, prompting people to rush to the site to collect fuel.
“There were a lot of people. Those who were close to the truck got pulverized,” said an eyewitness, who did not wish to be identified, in an interview with local media.
The impact of the explosion was devastating, leaving 16 bodies beyond recognition. The Haitian government has expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, while emergency teams are working to provide medical attention to the critically injured.
The explosion comes amidst a worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti, fueled by rampant gang activity that has led to widespread displacement, violence, and hunger. Fuel deliveries to the Miragoane area have been disrupted in recent weeks due to gang control of highways leading to the capital, Port-au-Prince.
This tragic incident echoes a similar event in 2021 in Cap-Haitien, where a fuel tanker explosion killed at least 60 people. The government has declared a state of emergency nationwide in response to the escalating crisis.
First Piper 