At Least 10 Dead After Explosion in Dominican Republic

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Facts

  • A deadly explosion left at least 10 people dead and another 37 injured in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic on Monday, according to the office of Pres. Luis Abinader. Abinader’s officer also reported Tuesday that 11 more are missing following the blast.1
  • Pres. Abinader visited the site of the explosion, located just west of the capital city Santo Domingo. He called the search for survivors “very difficult” and said that authorities were still trying to extinguish the fire amid the debris of collapsed buildings and destroyed vehicles.2
  • The explosion occurred at a bakery in San Cristobal’s “Old Marketplace” city center, and the fire spread throughout the area to a hardware store and furniture store. The cause of the explosion remains unknown and there has been no preliminary estimate of damages.3
  • The National Health Service reported that a four-month-old baby died in the tragedy along with two adults, whose bodies were 90% burned. 20 ambulances and 14 firetrucks were sent to the scene to rescue victims.4
  • Health Minister Daniel Rivera says authorities haven’t been able to access “ground zero” where the explosion happened due to the continued burning. Rivera added that he and other officials will deliver masks to people and determine if they had any respiratory or skin problems.5
  • Minister of the Presidency Joel Santos says the government is investigating the business in the area to determine if they were abiding by appropriate regulations.6

Sources: 1CNN, 2ABC News, 3Independent, 4WION, 5NBC, and 6Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Hoy Digital. Following the explosion in San Cristobal, many people throughout Latin America are living in fear about which future catastrophes could lie ahead. As local factories continue to manufacture plastics, there could be an increased risk that plants aren’t abiding by the proper safety protocols and that government officials will continue turning a blind eye. Government officials in the Dominican Republic must turn up their level of scrutiny on businesses that circumvent regulations and expose entire communities to tragedies like this tragedy.
  • Narrative B, as provided by La vida Marcha. Pres. Abinader and the government of the Dominican Republic are working tirelessly to help all of the victims impacted by Monday’s explosion in San Cristobal. Not only is the government providing resources for the people of San Cristobal, but it's also investigating the cause of the explosion to ensure no such tragedy happens again. Authorities will investigate all businesses to ensure they are compliant with safety regulations and crack down on those that aren’t following the rules.