At least four people died and 17 were injured after the explosion of a truck transporting liquid gas in the city of Santiago, Chile, on Thursday (19), local authorities reported.
The accident occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle, which overturned and exploded, according to a police chief at a press conference. The driver himself is among the four dead.
The explosion took place in the commune of Renca, in the northern region of the Chilean capital, close to an important highway and an industrial area. Videos posted on social media showed intense flames at the scene shortly after the incident.
According to the Fire Department, the shock wave was felt in a radius of around 150 to 200 meters and damaged at least 50 vehicles.
Five injured people were in serious condition, said the governor of the metropolitan region of Santiago, Claudio Orrego. One of them had burns on 100% of his body, with an imminent risk of death.
The Public Ministry opened an investigation to determine the causes of the accident. The truck was linked to local gas company Gasco, which did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric said debris hit three businesses, but there were no reports of widespread damage beyond the area near the explosion.
