Tanker Truck Overturns and Explodes on Santiago Highway
At least four people were killed and 17 injured after a tanker truck carrying liquefied gas overturned on a highway in Renca, Santiago, and then exploded into a massive toxic gas cloud.
Images captured show the tanker losing control, overturning, and colliding with a median barrier on Thursday local time. Following the impact, the vehicle erupted in intense flames, creating a column of gray smoke that enveloped a long stretch of the highway before igniting into a fireball.
Four Dead, One Victim Suffers 100% Body Burns
Among the four fatalities was the driver. The Governor of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, Claudio Orrego, stated that five of the injured are in critical condition. One person sustained 100% body burns, with a high risk of death.
Explosion Destroys At Least 50 Vehicles Within 200-Meter Radius
The explosion resonated within a radius of approximately 200 meters and destroyed at least 50 vehicles, according to firefighters.
The tanker truck belonged to local gas company Gasco. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident.
Many drivers attempted to avoid the toxic gas cloud but were unable to escape before the flames erupted.
