The death toll from a powerful gas tanker explosion that ripped through a district of Lima rose to eight on Friday, after four more victims succumbed to severe burn injuries overnight, Peru's health ministry said. Two people died shortly after the accident, which happened early Thursday morning as the tanker truck approached an intersection in the capital's Villa El Salvador district. - Severe burns -One man died at the scene and shortly afterwards, a nine-year-old girl died of cardiac arrest in hospital after suffering severe burns, health officials said. Investigators believe the explosion was caused when a fuel hose became detached as the truck tanker passed over a speed bump as it approached an intersection. I was lucky because there are others who suffered burns to their whole bodies," said Garcia, who also suffered facial burns.

Source: Punch January 24, 2020 23:13 UTC