Death toll from Philippine gas truck blast hits 50
Source: Reuters
MANILA, Feb 3 (Reuters) - The death toll from the explosion in the southern Philippines of truck carrying compressed carbon dioxide has reached 50, a senior military official said on Saturday. The truck, which was originally thought to be carrying liquefied petroleum gas, exploded on Friday on a highway in Zamboanga del Sur province, around 500 miles (800 km) south of Manila. A packed passing bus took the full force of the blast. "The death toll climbed to 50 and more than 40 are still in critical condition," Major General Raymundo Ferrer, commander of the army's first infantry division, said. Ferrer said soldiers were still recovering charred body parts from a nearby ravine after a fireball destroyed the truck and bus. The lorry's cargo exploded after the vehicle crashed into a wall and overturned following brake failure, police said. Compressed carbon dioxide is used in carbonated drinks and aerosols.
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