Liberia authorities fear at least 40 dead after fuel tanker explosion in the central part of the country, according to the head of the African country’s medical services.

The accident happened last Tuesday night in the Totota community, 130 kilometers northeast of the capital Monrovia. The truck went off the road and into a ditch before exploding.

The exact death toll is difficult to ascertain due to the situation large number of corpses, but it is considered likely that “more than 40 people lost their lives”, the official, Francis Kate, told a Liberian television station.

Dr. Kate added that his teams “are going door-to-door to ascertain the number of missing persons” after the disaster.

The police initially reported that there were 15 dead and 30 injured. “Many people were burned,” said her spokesman, Prince Malba.

According to Malvin Sakor, another police officer, the explosion occurred as residents gathered at the site of the accident to collect fuel.

“He had climbed into the truck to get fuel. Some had crowbars with them and were hitting the tanker” to make holes through which fuel would come out to collect it, Aaron Massacqua, who said he was an eyewitness, told AFP.

The truck driver was “telling them not to get on the tank” and to “stop” hitting it, he added.

Dr. Cynthia Blapou, a health service official, told the Front Page Africa newspaper yesterday about “patients in serious condition, among them children and pregnant women, a total of 36 people”.