A leaking tanker truck exploded earlier this week as folks gathered to gather gasoline, killing greater than 40 folks, Liberian authorities mentioned Thursday.

Tuesday’s explosion additionally injured at the least 83 folks within the city of Totota within the central West African nation, in keeping with well being authorities.

Most of the useless had been buried in a mass grave on Wednesday as a result of their stays had been unrecognizable, mentioned Dr. Cynthia Blapook, a well being official in Bong County. Well being authorities mentioned it was tough to substantiate the precise variety of deaths as a result of burned state of the our bodies.

Liberia’s Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor, attended the mass funeral. “We did not count on to start out the 12 months this fashion,” Mr Howard-Taylor mentioned.

Well being officers mentioned the variety of injured might rise as a result of they aren’t certain everybody has been transported to obtain therapy. 

A physician at a hospital treating the injured urged the Liberian authorities to deploy a catastrophe administration workforce and have one in each county to answer emergencies.

Dr. Minnie Sankawolo-Rocks additionally appealed to the general public to avoid gasoline vans within the hope of getting much-needed gasoline. Comparable deadly accidents have occurred elsewhere in Africa.

“Please, I urge you,” she mentioned. Ms Sankawolo-Rocks mentioned folks didn’t take heed to police directions to maneuver away earlier than the tanker exploded.