BY RAYMOND AFRICA

AT least 23 persons died and 15 others were hurt yesterday when a wayward tanker trailer truck carrying carbon dioxide exploded on a highway in Zamboanga del Sur.

Chief Supt. Jaime Caringal, Western Mindanao police director, said the truck bound for Zamboanga-Sibugay rolled over after its braked failed in Barangay Maragang, Tigbao, around 10:30 a.m.

The driver was killed instantly while a helper was trapped inside, said Supt. Ramon Ochotorena, provincial police director.

Bystanders tried to help the victims but the tanker exploded 20 minutes later, killing some of the bystanders and the passengers of the passing RS Transit bus bound for Zamboanga City.

"Some of the fatalities could not be identified because the explosion disfigured their faces," said Ochotorena.

Ochotorena said they were scouring areas around a nearby ravine for bodies after parts of the truck were found around 1,000 meters from the crash site.

"Our troops counted 23 bodies but there were also a lot of body parts strewn all over the place," said Brig. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, Army commander in Zamboanga.

"The number of casualties could actually exceed 30 because the delivery truck was vaporized and the bus was a total wreck. We are having difficulty identifying the fatalities because the victims were badly mutilated," he said.

Ferrer said the bus left Pagadian City with 55 passengers. It could have picked up more people before the accident in Tigbao, he added.

Maj. Gary Lachica, a deputy battalion commander, said soldiers rushed to the scene after hearing loud blasts.

"We’re helping evacuate people to safety," he said.

The cause of the explosion was still being investigated. – With Reuters