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Drone footage of the destroyed market area
Photograph:
Orlando Barria v EPA
After a powerful explosion in the Dominican Republic, the death toll has risen to at least ten. More than 50 people were injured.
The explosion occurred on Monday in a busy market area in the city of San Cristóbal, which is just under 30 kilometers west of the capital Santo Domingo. According to the country's emergency call system, a bakery first exploded. The resulting fire then spread to surrounding shops.
During a visit to the affected city, President Luis Abinader said that eleven people are still missing. "The search for survivors is difficult," Abinader said. Emergency services are still trying to extinguish the fire in the midst of collapsed buildings and charred vehicles.
Joel Santos, Minister for the President's Office, announced an investigation to clarify the cause of the explosion. The aim was to check whether the company in which the explosion occurred was operated in accordance with proper regulations. For the time being, however, the top priority is to save more lives.
San Cristóbal, the birthplace of dictator Rafael Trujillo, had already been the scene of a powerful explosion almost 23 years ago. In October 2000, a weapons depot exploded, killing at least two people and injuring more than two dozen others. At that time, the authorities were forced to evacuate thousands of people.
atb/AP/Reuters