Santo Domingo fuel truck explosion kills two people

Authorities in Santo Domingo have identified the two victims of a fatal traffic accident involving a fuel truck on George Washington Avenue. The deceased were identified as 35-year-old Luis Alejandro Torres Mejía, who was driving the truck, and 53-year-old María Altagracia Méndez de Olivo, who was traveling in a jeep.

The accident occurred around 6:58 a.m. on Monday. The truck was transporting approximately 10,000 gallons of fuel, which spilled and subsequently exploded, causing a fire that incinerated two of the vehicles involved. The District National Fire Department deployed 12 units to suppress the flames using foam to prevent the diesel fire from spreading.

Investigations into the cause of the explosion are currently underway. The incident, which took place near the Adrián Tropical restaurant, caused significant traffic congestion and required assistance from the National Police, the Digesett, and the Specialized Fuel Control Corps (Ceccom).