Abinader on explosion: It is up to us to save the lives of those affected and we are going to do it without any resource limit

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader stated on Tuesday that he is committed to saving the lives of those affected by the explosion in San Cristóbal without any limitations on resources. He emphasized that while an investigation is underway to determine the origin and causes of the explosion, their immediate focus is on saving lives. The President expressed his solidarity with the families of the 10 victims reported by authorities, and he declared that August 14 will be a day of mourning not only in San Cristobal but throughout the Dominican Republic.

During a press conference at the Juan Pablo Pina Regional Teaching Hospital, Abinader assured that every effort is being made to recover the deceased and help those who were injured. He announced the involvement of the J2 of the Ministry of Defense to collaborate with other organizations in investigating the circumstances and origins of the incident.

Earlier, the Minister of the Presidency, Joel Santos, provided an update, stating that the number of wounded has risen to 59 and that 11 individuals remain missing. The explosion occurred on Monday afternoon, originating in DT Ferretería in the downtown area of San Cristóbal. The impact resulted in fires, destruction of buildings, businesses, and vehicles, and the victims were either inside establishments, vehicles, walking in the vicinity, or at the impact site.