Haitian PM promises helicopters for emergency response following fatalities in fuel truck explosion

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Prime Minister Garry Conille announced on Saturday that Haiti will soon acquire its own helicopters to enhance emergency response capabilities and protect the lives of its people.

Conille made this statement during a visit to Miragoâne, a coastal town and capital of the Nippes department about 60 miles west of Port-au-Prince, where a tragic gas truck explosion resulted in the deaths of two dozen people and many others severely injured.

“It is a horrible scene, what I have just witnessed,” Conille said after touring the disaster site. “The government expresses its solidarity with all the victims and their families, and we are planning evacuations by helicopter.”

That sounds like a plan for the future. However, the Prime Minister did not provide a timeline for when the helicopters would arrive and be put to the service of the Haitian people.

The lack of air transport has been a longstanding issue for Haiti, impacting emergency responses. Recently, a police officer from the SWAT unit of the National Police (PNH), Dorcé Scudéry, died after being unable to receive timely medical evacuation to the capital following a gunshot wound sustained during an anti-gang operation in Gressier, just about 13 miles southwest of the Haitian capital. His death marked the 24th police officer killed by gunfire in Haiti in 2024.

Evacuations following the fuel truck blast

Emmanuel Pierre, head of Haiti’s civil protection agency, told reporters that the government took immediate action in response to the Miragoâne incident, with Interim Prime Minister Conille calling an emergency government meeting to deal with the tragedy.

Connile’s office announced that some seriously injured victims were evacuated by a United Nations humanitarian helicopter to hospitals in Port-au-Prince for urgent care. Conille reassured the affected families of his support in overcoming the aftermath of the horrific tragedy.

Pierre said officials from the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and other relevant institutions were instructed to prioritize the care of patients affected by this tragedy. 

 “It is a horrible scene, what I have just witnessed.”

 Garry Conille, Interim Prime Minister of Haiti

On his part, the Haitian prime minister praised the solidarity and efforts of medical professionals in treating the victims.

Some victims were treated at Médecins Sans Frontières and Bernard Mevs Hospital in Port-au-Prince, while others received care at Nippes Hospital and Saint Boniface Hospital in Fond-des-Blancs.

Details of the incident

The explosion occurred on Saturday morning when a fuel tanker truck coming from Miragoâne Customs collided with a broken-down truck in the Calbassier area. The impact punctured the gas truck, causing fuel to spill onto the roadway. Videos circulating on social media showed residents rushing to collect the spilled gasoline as the tanker exploded.

Witnesses reported seeing charred bodies near the exploded vehicle. According to Pierre, the explosion resulted in 24 fatalities and around 40 individuals suffering second and third-degree burns. Additionally, about 20 motorcycles and cars were also destroyed in the blast.

Public outcry and calls for education

The tragedy has left Miragoâne in mourning, with many residents questioning the lack of safety measures that allowed people to approach the overturned tanker. Some community leaders, including lawyer Peguy Jean, criticized the authorities for failing to educate the public about the dangers of such situations.

“If the residents were better informed, under no circumstances would they have approached the overturned fuel tank,” Jean stated on X. He urged the government to support local health facilities to ensure timely care for the injured.

This incident echoes a similar explosion in Cap-Haitien in December 2021, which killed at least 75 people and injured 47, many of whom were in critical condition. In that case, a tanker truck overturned while trying to avoid a collision, leading to a deadly explosion as residents attempted to collect the spilled fuel.

The previous government, led by former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, had organized a national funeral for the victims of the Cap-Haïtien tragedy, highlighting the ongoing challenges related to public safety and education in Haiti.

As the community grapples with this latest tragedy calls for accountability and improved safety measures continue to grow.

The post Haitian PM promises helicopters for emergency response following fatalities in fuel truck explosion appeared first on The Haitian Times.

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Haitian PM promises helicopters for emergency response following fatalities in fuel truck explosion was first posted on September 15, 2024 at 1:52 pm.