At least 11 people were killed, while 10 persons have been reported missing after an explosion ripped through a tiny hamlet in the Dominican Republic, according to President Luis Abinader on Tuesday.
The explosion on Monday jolted the business district of San Cristobal, less than 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the capital of Santo Domingo, igniting a fire that was still burning hours later and erupting a massive column of smoke.
The latest death toll was given Tuesday evening by top emergency official Juan Manuel Mendez, who also stated that officials were working to identify more bodies.
“There are 11 (identified bodies), but there are more corpses,” he said.
Of the 59 people injured, 37 remained hospitalized, emergency officials said.
Earlier in the day, Abinader paid a visit to the location where the explosion occurred, expressing his sympathies to the bereaved family members.
“We are doing all that is humanly possible” to look for the missing people, Abinader said.
The explosion’s exact origin and cause have not been established.
Several local businesses were impacted by the explosion, including a plastics plant, a veterinary clinic, and a hardware shop. Several automobiles sustained burn damage.
Numerous people looked for missing family members at neighbouring hospitals as images of the missing were shared on social media.
500 firefighters and other rescue personnel were dispatched to the location, and dogs were brought in to rummage through the rubble.
