“The neighbors were on fire” – eju.tv

Two people died and 13 others were injured after a propane gas explosion in the city of Pereira, Risaralda, on Tuesday morning, June 11, 2024. The explosion, which also left significant damage to some homes, occurred around 5:30 am in a residential area on Río Avenue, in the center of the city.

A small truck that was transporting two stationary containers of propane gas and that was parked in the area would have released part of the hydrocarbon, which caused the explosion. According to the security cameras, two explosions were recorded: the first when the gas was released and the other, seconds later, affecting a man who ran for cover and was thrown to the ground by the shock wave.

The incident occurred when the vehicle was parked near a home. Neighbors reported smelling a strong smell of gas before the explosion. In the images captured by the security cameras in the area, the exact moment of the detonation is observed, in which a motorcyclist passes by the place seconds before the explosion, and a passer-by is seen hit by the flames who managed to extinguish them by throw himself to the ground, according to the videos released.

The disaster struck a residential area on the morning of June 11. Authorities suspect poor manipulation as the cause of the fatal incident and continue investigating – credit social networks

Luis Carmona, an affected neighbor, described the scene as “a calamity,” noting that the explosions set several residents on fire and partially destroyed more than 10 homes. “There were two explosions at the same time at that time, I go out and find the neighbors’ painting burning in flames and more than one neighbor affected. This was a calamity, there you can see how the house was left, practically destroyed, we were left with what we had on,” said the witness to Caracol News.

The injured were taken to local hospitals and clinics, and at least two more victims have a reserved prognosis. For his part, the commander of the Pereira Fire Department, Juan Camilo Ballesteros, indicated that the probable cause of the incident was “poor handling” of the gas. The authorities continue to investigate the causes of the incident and conduct a census of those affected.

On the other hand, Jesús Peña, another affected resident, recounted how they took refuge in the back of their house due to the smell of gas before witnessing their neighbors on fire. “When I came out the neighbors were on fire, everything was on fire, the mattress also caught fire, everything caught on fire.”the man told the aforementioned media.

Occurring around 5:30 am, the explosion on Río Avenue left a trail of destruction and pain, forcing the injured to be hospitalized – credit social networks

Likewise, Dayana Gómez Jiménez, director of Risaralda Risk Management, clarified that the two people who were initially reported missing were already found and were outside their homes at the time of the incident. “So far we have ruled out any missing person,” Gómez Jiménez told the newspaper. Homeland.

More than 30 people have been affected by damage to their homes. Local authorities continue to assess the extent of the damage and offer assistance to those affected. The wall of a house collapsed and at least ten houses were affected by the explosion and subsequent fire.

The exact causes of the incident are under investigation. Images shared on various platforms show the devastating impact of the fire, with the truck engulfed in flames and a cloud of smoke covering the area. Neighbors and victims tried to help in the control of the fire. Regional authorities are carrying out an investigation to clarify the reasons for the incident and apply preventive measures to avoid future incidents of this type in the community.