Truck explosion in Chile's capital kills four, injures 17


A drone view shows firefighters working at the site of a deadly explosion, according to local media, in Santiago, Chile, February 19, 2026. REUTERS/Pablo Sanhueza TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

SANTIAGO, Feb ⁠19 (Reuters) - At least four people were killed when ⁠a truck transporting liquid gas in Chile's capital ‌Santiago overturned and exploded, authorities said on Thursday.

Another 17 people were injured, a police chief told reporters at a press conference, saying ​the driver of the truck had ⁠lost control and crashed.

Authorities ⁠said the truck driver was among those who died in ⁠the ‌incident.

The prosecutor's office is investigating what led up to the accident. The truck was affiliated ⁠with local gas company Gasco.

Gasco did not immediately ​respond to ‌a request for comment from Reuters.

Videos on social media ⁠showed flames ​pluming at the site of the explosion. The accident happened in the northern Santiago commune of Renca, near a ⁠major highway and an industrial area.

The ​explosion was felt within a radius of about 150 to 200 meters and damaged at least 50 vehicles, according to ⁠firefighters.

President Gabriel Boric said some debris flew into three businesses, but so far there were no reports of further widespread damage.

Five people were reportedly in serious condition, ​according to Claudio Orrego, the governor ⁠of the Santiago metropolitan region.

"One has burns covering 100% of ​their body with imminent risk to ‌their life," Orrego said.

(Reporting by ​Fabian Cambero; Writing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; editing by Cassandra Garrison, Daina Beth Solomon and Nia Williams)

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