At least 20 people were killed and 79 others injured when a fuel tank exploded Sunday in the north of Lebanon.
“Our teams have transported 20 dead bodies… from the fuel tanker explosion” to hospitals, the Lebanese Red Cross said on Twitter.
The Lebanese military said that the tank was confiscated by the army to “distribute to citizens” supplies. It exploded just before 2 am.
Hospitals struggling to function face to fuel shortages and extreme power cuts were overwhelmed as staff struggled to give first aid to patients, AFP reports.
The tragedy adds more misery to a nation already struggling to face its worst economic and financial crisis. The Middle Eastern country has been grappling with soaring poverty, a plummeting currency and extreme fuel shortages.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun ordered an investigation into the circumstances of the blast.
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