At least one person is dead and seventeen others are injured after a deadly explosion involving a truck transporting liquefied gas rocked Chile’s capital on Thursday morning. The vehicle overturned and erupted in flames, causing mass destruction.
Authorities in Santiago confirmed that the tanker truck crashed in the northern commune of Renca. Police reported that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn. A collision also occurred, which triggered a powerful explosion that sent a fireball into the surrounding area.
Emergency officials said among those injured is an individual with burns covering 100 per cent of their body. Officials confirm that several others sustained severe injuries, with five hospitalised in life-threatening condition. As for the deceased, authorities reported that the driver of the tanker truck did not make it out alive. He is among the four fatalities recorded.
Investigators revealed that it was a Gasco tanker truck carrying liquefied petroleum gas, which began to leak when the crash occurred. The gas formed a large cloud that quickly covered the roadway and ignited. The vehicle had been travelling from a terminal in Quintero toward the Gasco plant in Maipu when the crash occurred.
It took firefighters and emergency responders hours to get the situation under control. The explosion caused damage to at least 50 vehicles and sent debris flying into three businesses in the area, and the effects stretched to approximately 150 to 200 metres.
Video clips circulating on social media captured towering flames and thick smoke rising from the crash site. A vehicle attempted to reverse to avoid being swallowed by the smoke but could not make it out. The affected stretch of highway was closed as emergency crews managed the situation, leading to significant traffic disruptions in the surrounding industrial zone.
Officials, including regional authorities and prosecutors, have launched an investigation to determine the precise cause of the crash. Early lines of inquiry are examining possible driver error, such as speeding or loss of control.
