Eight people injured in gas station explosion in Venezuela

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Eight people were injured in the explosion registered this Wednesday at a gas station in eastern Venezuela. One person died when a bus was refueling gas, confirmed local authorities of the state of Anzoátegui, where the event took place.

The explosion occurred at the gas station Araguaney, located on the road connecting two important cities in Anzoátegui state – Puerto La Cruz and Barcelona – at around 14.00 local time (18.00 GMT) when the bus was refueling gas.

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According to a source who was at the scene said, the bus had an improvised gas system, and the explosion managed to reach four other vehicles causing the death of a gas station attendant, as well as burns to eight people who were taken to one of the best-known hospitals in the state, the Luis Razetti.

The fire at the gas station was brought under control by Civil Protection officials, firefighters, and the police.

The authorities, who confirmed one death and eight injured, called a meeting of today’s owners of the gas stations.

Venezuela has been experiencing gasoline shortages for months in several states of the country. The situation has caused citizens to create improvised gas systems in their vehicles to move around.