Gas truck bomb kills 5, poisons many in Iraq
Source: Reuters
(Adds police saying blast was bomb, updates toll) BAGHDAD, Feb 20 (Reuters) - A bomb in a truck carrying chlorine gas killed at least five people north of Baghdad and injured scores more, including many women and children poisoned by the gas, police said on Tuesday. The truck bomb exploded near a restaurant at a rest stop on a main highway in Taji, 20 km (12 miles) north of the capital. Twisted metal and debris littered the ground in front of a tyre repair shop after the blast, which sent out toxic fumes that caused scores of people to be taken to hospital. Police said five people were killed by the blast, and the total number of wounded including those sickened by the chlorine gas as well as those hit by the explosion was 139. Another police source put the death toll at 7 with more than 100 wounded. Authorities in Iraq frequently give varying casualty figures and it is often impossible to pin down exact numbers. Chlorine gas, which is toxic and can irritate the respiratory system, is used for water purification.
| AlertNet news is provided by |  |
