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Citizens of the northern port city of Cap-Haïtien were seen scooping spilled fuel from an overturned, exploded gas truck as well as off the street itself to use at home. The explosion happened Monday and has claimed the lives of at least 53 people.
Patrick Almonor, deputy mayor of Cap-Haïtien, told the Associated Press that officials believe the accident happened because the truck was trying not to hit a motorcycle.
This is the latest in a string of nationwide hardships, including a fuel shortage spiking up gas prices and causing some gas stations, schools and other businesses to temporarily close. The BBC also reported that Haiti's fuel shortage is also attributed to powerful gangs seizing control of the fuel distribution around the country.
Additionally, BBC reported that Haiti is in the midst of a "major economic and political crisis in the wake of President Jovenel Moise's assassination earlier this year."
A month after the assassination, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck, killing more than 2,200 people and destroying tens of thousands of homes.
"It's terrible what our country has to go through," Dave Larose, a civil engineer who works in Cap-Haitien, told the Associated Press.
Almonor said the explosion also burned about 20 surrounding homes. The death toll is expected to climb once authorities count people who might have died in their homes as a result of the fires. At least 100 others have been reported injured in the accident.
He told BBC News that when visiting the explosion site, the victims he saw were burned so badly they could not be identified.
"It's horrible what happened," Almonor said. "We lost so many lives."
The explosion occurred late Monday in the coastal city of Cap-Haitien as survivors rushed outside and yelled as they observed how the fire consumed part of their neighborhood. Hours later, a local hospital was overwhelmed with injured people as it pleaded for basic supplies and more medical staff.
The explosion occurred as Haiti struggles with a severe shortage of fuel and spiraling gas prices that recently forced hospitals to turn away patients, temporarily shut down gas stations, schools and businesses and prompted the government of U.S. and Canada to urge its citizens to leave while they still could.
The country of more than 11 million people also has been hit by a spike in gang-related kidnappings, including 17 missionaries with a U.S. religious organization who were abducted in mid-October. Five of them have been released, but another 12 are still being held.
Now, Haitians find themselves mourning the victims of the explosion.
Almonor said a local hospital is in dire need of more nurses, doctors and basic medical supplies to help those injured.
"We are overwhelmed," a person identified as Dr. Calhil Turenne told Le Nouvelliste newspaper.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was devastated and announced that his administration was deploying field hospitals to the area to help those affected.
"Three days of national mourning will be decreed throughout the territory, in memory of the victims of this tragedy that the entire Haitian nation is grieving," he tweeted.
Former Prime Minister Claude Joseph also mourned the victims, tweeting, "I share the pain and sorrow of all the people."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
