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Venezuela petrol tanker blaze kills 13 in Caracas | Venezuela petrol tanker blaze kills 13 in Caracas |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A petrol tanker has crashed in Venezuela, bursting into flames and engulfing seven cars and a bus in burning fuel. | A petrol tanker has crashed in Venezuela, bursting into flames and engulfing seven cars and a bus in burning fuel. |
At least 13 people were killed in the accident on a busy road in the capital Caracas, and another 16 were injured. police said. | |
Rescue workers pulled charred bodies from the scorched vehicles. | |
The tanker is reported to have flipped over after the driver lost control, spilling petrol that then caught fire. | The tanker is reported to have flipped over after the driver lost control, spilling petrol that then caught fire. |
Caracas fire department coordinator William Martinez said the crash sent a river of burning fuel down the Pan-American Highway west of Caracas, engulfing other vehicles. | Caracas fire department coordinator William Martinez said the crash sent a river of burning fuel down the Pan-American Highway west of Caracas, engulfing other vehicles. |
The flames were so intense that vegetation beside the road also caught fire and nearby houses were threatened before the blaze was brought under control, he told Venezuelan National Radio. | The flames were so intense that vegetation beside the road also caught fire and nearby houses were threatened before the blaze was brought under control, he told Venezuelan National Radio. |
Survivor Mariana Salas said the bus caught fire in a matter of seconds. | Survivor Mariana Salas said the bus caught fire in a matter of seconds. |
"People started to get out of cars, the traffic was paralysed, nothing was moving in either direction," she said. | "People started to get out of cars, the traffic was paralysed, nothing was moving in either direction," she said. |
"Around 15 or 20 of us opened a route through the vegetation and managed to save ourselves." | "Around 15 or 20 of us opened a route through the vegetation and managed to save ourselves." |
President Hugo Chavez expressed dismay at the "lamentable tragedy". | President Hugo Chavez expressed dismay at the "lamentable tragedy". |
"I send my prayers to the victims of the accident on the Pan-American Highway. To their families my feelings of sadness and all necessary support," he wrote on Twitter. | "I send my prayers to the victims of the accident on the Pan-American Highway. To their families my feelings of sadness and all necessary support," he wrote on Twitter. |
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