25 dead, nine injured and seven missing are the partial result of a catastrophic car accident that occurred on the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho highway, which connects the city of Caracas with the east of the country. It cannot be ruled out that new victims will soon be reported. The tragedy occurred around seven in the morning, on the eve of the working day, at a time when this highway was busy as it connects the capital with the dormitory town of Guarenas.
The civil protection authorities and the fire department told the press that a truck carrying industrial flour lost its brakes and collided with several cars – including public transport buses – that were stuck in a traffic jam waiting to be damaged on the side of the road.
The flour truck also collided with another truck that was transporting highly flammable, thinner material. The multiple collision triggered a massive explosion that spanned the entire spectrum of the highway and was several meters high.
There are several children among the deceased. All five members of the same family group died in the accident. All victims were charred. Forensic teams are working to identify the bodies with the help of criminal investigation personnel.
Following the accident, there were numerous public expressions of grief on social networks, as well as bitter complaints about how often trucks cause serious accidents by reporting mechanical failures, in a country that has no extra-urban railways in its territory and an acceptable highway network.
The poor maintenance of some of these highways and the high traffic density in the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho during certain hours have often led to accidents with deaths and injuries in the recent past. It was later learned that a third truck lost control on the route and became stuck on the same night as the day of the tragedy, with no deaths or injuries occurring.
Members of the Chavismo-controlled Miranda governorate woke up and provided security in some parts of the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho after the accident. To put it bluntly, the national authorities have adopted a discreet approach to this emergency, which has caused great public regret.