ALBAWABA - On Wednesday, a gas explosion caused by a vehicle crash in Mongolia's capital killed six people and injured fourteen, according to authorities.
A truck carrying 60 tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) collided with a car and exploded in the early hours, according to the Mongolian National Emergency Management Agency's (NEMA) website.
"According to preliminary results, three people died in the fire," NEMA said on its website, adding three firefighters had also been killed while 14 people had been sent for medical treatment.
Ten of those were taken for treatment for burns, while one child was being treated for poisoning and three other infants were being cared for. Images shared by NEMA showed emergency services on the scene of the fire early in the morning, as massive flames engulfed the street.
Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene and the fire had been extinguished, it added. Residents of a nearby apartment building had been temporarily relocated, according to NEMA, and roads in the area were closed while authorities cleaned up debris.
Richard Buangan, the US Ambassador to Mongolia, expressed his "deep sadness" upon learning of the tragic accident.
"I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and colleagues of the NEMA staff members who lost their lives in this devastating event," he said in a post on X.
Axelle Nicaise, the EU ambassador to Mongolia, said she was "shocked and devastated" by the accident.
