OAN’s Abril Elfi
11:03 AM – Wednesday, August 16, 2023
The death toll from an explosion that shook the town of San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic on Monday has risen to 25.
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On Wednesday, Delfin Antonio Rodriguez, a civil defense official, reported that the death toll from the tragic explosion had risen from 11 to 25 as hundreds of firefighters continue to put out fires and search for victims. It is reported that one of the victims was as young as four-months-old.
The explosion happened on Monday in the center of a commercial town. It set nine buildings on fire.
Authorities are still investigating what could have started the explosion, however, they have reported that there were no tanks of any type in the area.
Rodriguez mentioned how the number of missing people remains at 10 since forensic experts are still attempting to determine whether the extra bodies discovered relate to those missing.
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader visited the site of the explosion on Tuesday and said that they “are doing all that is humanly possible to locate” those missing.
Worrying family members have been pacing in front of hospitals and cemeteries, complaining that no one has been giving them information.
According to officials out of the 59 people who were injured, 37 are still hospitalized. More than 30 ambulances and roughly 500 officials have responded to the incident.
Health officials are urging people to wear masks due to the toxic smoke that is surrounding the town from the explosion.
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