Death Toll Climbs to 10 Following Powerful Blast Close to Dominican Republic’s Capital; 11 Individuals Remain Unaccounted For

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The casualty count resulting from a potent explosion near the capital city of the Dominican Republic surged to 10 individuals on Tuesday, accompanied by dozens sustaining injuries. Firefighters continued their search through the smoldering wreckage, while anguished relatives gathered outside hospitals in pursuit of their missing loved ones.

President Luis Abinader journeyed to San Cristobal, situated to the west of Santo Domingo, to meet with those impacted by the incident. He disclosed that an additional 11 individuals remained unaccounted for, while efforts to quell the blaze persisted amidst the ruins of collapsed structures and charred vehicles.

“We are expending every possible effort to investigate the circumstances surrounding the 11 missing individuals,” he asserted. “The quest to locate survivors has proven exceedingly challenging.”

The explosion that occurred on Monday within a bustling commercial hub in San Cristobal resulted in a death toll of at least 10 individuals, with more than 50 people sustaining injuries, according to Joel Santos, the minister of the presidency. Thirty-six of the injured were still receiving medical treatment in hospitals, Santos confirmed.

Daniel Rivera, the Health Minister, indicated that the explosion’s epicenter, which was still ablaze, remained inaccessible to authorities.

Estefani Alcántara shared her experience of the incident, recounting that her family was shopping when the explosion transpired. Her 42-year-old uncle sustained severe injuries and was hospitalized, while her aunt remained missing.

“We are uncertain whether she is alive or not,” she lamented, tears streaming down her face as she waited outside a local hospital, consumed by feelings of “frustration, pain, and distress.”

The nation’s emergency hotline reported that the explosion originated at a bakery in the heart of the city, a vibrant locality known as the “Old Marketplace,” catering to various goods including vegetables and clothing. The flames subsequently engulfed a neighboring hardware store and an adjacent furniture outlet.

Among the victims was a 4-month-old infant who succumbed to head injuries, as well as a bank employee, officials revealed.

José Ramón Ramírez Rivera, proprietor of a local veterinary clinic, recounted that one of his 15 employees was yet to be located.

“A wall from the office collapsed on me,” he recollected. “I struggled to breathe.”

Juan Jiménez, a farmer residing a few miles away from the blast site, initially mistook the explosion for thunder, given the prevalent storms in August. Now, he anxiously awaits news about his 31-year-old female cousin, a professor, who remains missing.

Smoke continued to blanket the city’s core on Tuesday, prompting Rivera to advise the populace to wear masks due to the toxic chemicals mingling with the smoke.

“This smoke contains chemical substances,” he cautioned.

Rivera revealed his intentions to personally distribute masks and evaluate individuals for respiratory or skin complications by visiting households door-to-door. He was also expected to visit a local hospital where people were still seeking their missing family members.

“The initial 24 hours are critical,” he stressed, noting that injuries encompassed burns, fractures, and respiratory issues.

President Abinader declared the establishment of two mobile hospitals to furnish additional medical care, including psychological support, to those affected.

Meanwhile, Minister Santos announced the initiation of an inquiry to ascertain whether the establishment where the explosion transpired adhered to appropriate regulations.

The cause of the explosion remained obscure, with authorities yet to furnish a preliminary assessment of the extent of the damage.

“These calamities possess a hierarchy: save lives, preserve assets, contain the incident, and subsequently assess the extent of harm,” Santos remarked during a press conference.

San Cristobal, renowned as the birthplace of dictator Rafael Trujillo, was the site of another explosion nearly 23 years ago. In October 2000, an armory explosion claimed the lives of at least two individuals and left over two dozen injured, compelling authorities to evacuate thousands.

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