Tanker truck carrying gasoline explodes at crossroads to Haiti’s Port-au-Prince international airport

By Jose Flécher, Haitian Times Contributer

A tanker truck carrying gasoline exploded in the middle of a crowded crossroads Tuesday, near the Delmas Viaduct—also known as Carrefour de l’Aéroport—less than two miles away from the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. The explosion occurred simultaneously with the sound of gunshots around 1 p.m., causing a huge panic in the area with people trying to return to their daily activities.

The situation was rather chaotic in the middle of the day on Tuesday. While activities in this area were about to resume, a flurry of gunshots was heard shortly after noon, and the gasoline truck seemingly got hit by stray bullets about 33 yards from the viaduct. It is not yet clear if the tanker truck was directly targeted or if it was caught in the middle of gang attacks.

Arriving at the scene, The Haitian Times observed at least one bullet hole on the truck.

“I don’t know what happened,” said a young man. “I was about to go shopping when the fire started. I simultaneously heard gunshots and the sound of the explosion,” he confided while assisting firefighters trying to bring the fire under control.

Fortunately, the violent incident did not cause major material losses, nor did it result in any loss of life. The driver managed to escape safely.

The explosion occurred about two miles from the stronghold of the notorious gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, an area where trucks carrying goods and gasoline are frequently looted or set ablaze.

Some bystanders explained that gangs allegedly attempted to stop the truck, but the driver refused to comply. The bandits then would have started shooting in response.

The truck was completely consumed by fire: the engine, tires, transfer tubes—everything was destroyed by the flames. The interventions of the three fire trucks dispatched to the scene only managed to prevent the tank’s explosion.

Furthermore, the truck was not the only thing set ablaze. Several small retailers lost their merchandise in the fire. “I lost my trestle and the container which had all my drinks in it,” a street seller of soft drinks said.

Josué Saintilien, who sells telephone accessories a few yards from where the truck exploded, complained about the cruelty of people taking advantage of the accident to rob merchants. “I was forced to take shelter after hearing the crackling of weapons, and when I returned, I noticed many of my products were stolen,” he told The Haitian Times.

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