Haiti: Fuel truck explosion kills more than 15, leaves 40 others seriously injured

A tanker truck carrying gasoline in Haiti on Saturday (Sep. 14) flipped and exploded, killing at least 15 people.

One of the 40 seriously injured was transported in a UN helicopter.

Prime minister Garry Conille visited the scene of the accident in the port city of Miragoane, in Haiti's south.

He spoke from a regional heliopter in Port-au-Prince

"It is a horrible scene that we have just experienced, several dozen victims, many of whom were injured and burned very severely, many of whom would have been evacuated to the town of Les Cayes.”

Other victims were transported to the Saint Boniface hospital, east of Les Cayes.

Local media report that the blast occurred as the victims were trying to collect fuel from the crashed tanker.

The nation of 12 million people has also been struggling with fuel shortages, as fighting between gangs makes it more difficult to import goods into the country.