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Haiti declares three-day mourning after 50 die in tanker truck explosion

About 50 people are currently in hospitals with burns

© Reuters TV/via REUTERS

HAVANA, December 14. The Haitian authorities declared a three-day national mourning after at least 50 people died in a tanker truck explosion in Cap-Haitien, Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced Tuesday.

"In the name of my government and all people of Haiti, including the diaspora, I express my sincere condolences to the relatives of the victims, as well as to all directly or indirectly harmed by this tragedy. A three-day national mourning will be declared on the entire territory [of the country]," the politician tweeted.

The fire sparked at about midnight local time (08:00 Moscow time). After the tanker truck rolled over, nearby drivers sought to take advantage of this opportunity to fill their own fuel tanks, the local media reported. Presumably, this was when the explosion happened that led to human and material losses. About 50 people are currently in hospitals with burns.

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