Worthy Christian News > World News > Missionaries Urge Prayers As Haiti’s Petrol Blast Kills 75

Missionaries Urge Prayers As Haiti’s Petrol Blast Kills 75

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Christian missionaries appealed for prayers as the death toll of northern Haiti’s petrol tanker explosion rose to at least 75 people.

The petrol tanker rolled and exploded late Monday after trying to avoid crashing into a motorcycle in Haiti’s city of Cap-Haitien, officials said.

Bodies initially lined the streets as a fireball illuminated the sky, and rescue workers struggled to deal with the latest tragedy to hit the impoverished Caribbean island.

With the death toll climbing, Prime Minister Ariel Henry declared a period of mourning across Haiti. “Three days of national mourning will be decreed throughout the territory. In memory of the victims of this tragedy that the entire Haitian nation is grieving,” he added.

Henry said his administration was deploying field hospitals to the area to help those affected.

The tragedy came while Haiti dealt with a severe fuel shortage that prompted a shutdown of schools and businesses. Haiti is also still recovering from a devastating earthquake, a presidential assassination, and a spike in gang-related kidnappings, including Christians.

MISSIONARIES KIDNAPPED

U.S. missionary group Christian Aid Ministries on Thursday remembered that 17 of its American and Canadian missionaries were kidnapped by a gang in Haiti two months ago.

Five have since been released, but it remains concerned about the others being held. This week’s petrol tanker blast also underscored the need for prayers for Haiti, the group said.

“As you pray for our loved ones being held, we urge you to pray for another difficult situation facing the people of Haiti,” the group said in a statement to supporters.

Christian Aid Ministries, which works in the region, said the explosion not only killed scores of people but also destroyed dozens of homes.

It stressed that its “thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost loved ones as well as the people whose homes were destroyed.”