Gasoline Tanker Explosion Claims Over 40 Lives in Liberia

A tragic incident unfolded in north-central Liberia when a gasoline tanker crashed and exploded, resulting in the loss of at least 40 lives, as confirmed by the country’s chief medical officer, Francis Kateh. The incident occurred late on Tuesday in Totota, Lower Bong County, leaving numerous casualties in its wake.

According to Mr Kateh, the death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue. Many individuals sustained severe burns and are currently receiving treatment in local hospitals. The explosion took place after a gasoline tanker collided with another vehicle, causing it to overturn into a ditch along a road approximately 130km away from the capital, Monrovia.

“We have deployed our team to visit households and check for those who may be missing,” stated Mr Kateh, providing updates on the ongoing efforts to account for all affected individuals.

Initially, the police reported 15 fatalities and at least 30 injuries as locals gathered at the crash site. However, the situation took a disastrous turn when some residents began collecting the leaking gas from the tanker. The sudden explosion resulted in the death of over 40 individuals and caused injuries to others.

This tragic incident sheds light on the challenges posed by poor road safety and weak infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. According to United Nations figures, the region has the highest fatality rate in the world for road accidents, with three times more deaths compared to the European average.

Reports indicate that people climbed onto the overturned truck in an attempt to extract gas. Some even resorted to using iron objects to strike the tanker, hoping to force it to burst and access the fuel. Surprisingly, the truck driver encouraged the crowd to take the spilled gas.

“There were many people who suffered burns,” stated Prince B Mulbah, deputy inspector general for the Liberia National Police.

An eyewitness, Aaron Massaquoi, shared his account of the tragedy with AFP. He revealed, “People climbed all over the truck, taking the gas, while some of them used irons to hit the tanker, hoping it would burst so they could acquire the fuel.”

This unfortunate incident serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need to address road safety and infrastructure challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. The authorities must work towards implementing effective measures to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

Additional reporting by various news agencies.