A tanker truck exploded Saturday in southwestern Haiti, killing 24 people, authorities said, as witnesses reported that victims had been trying to collect fuel leaking from the vehicle.

The explosion in Miragoane injured about 40 people, with some suffering burns over most of their bodies, Emmanuel Pierre, head of Haiti`s civil protection agency, told AFP.

The death toll was increased from 16 earlier in the day, after rescuers discovered more charred bodies near the explosion site, Pierre said.

The injured were transported to Sainte Therese Hospital in the port city of Miragoane, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of the capital Port-au-Prince.

Six were later evacuated to specialist hospitals in Port-au-Prince.

Thirteen others originally slated for transfer will stay in Miragoane because burns over 80 percent of their bodies made transport impossible.

Interim Prime Minister Garry Conille called an emergency government meeting to deal with the tragedy, Pierre said.

Haiti has been plagued by instability for years and its capital has been virtually taken over by criminal gangs.

Top US diplomat Anthony Blinken made a rare visit on September 5, during which he promised $45 million in aid and stressed the need for elections, which have not taken place in Haiti since 2016.

Blinken also voiced concern about the long-term future of a Kenya-led police force, which arrived two months ago and has been tasked with stabilizing Port-au-Prince and beyond.

Source: AFP