Death toll from Lebanon fuel tanker blast climbed to 28, the health ministry informed on Sunday.
The Lebanese Red Cross in a statement, said it has evacuated 79 people who were injured or suffered burns in the blast.
The explosion occurred on Sunday at a warehouse where fuel was illegally stored. Fuel smuggling operations have been ongoing for months in Lebanon
A Lebanese military official said the explosion occurred after the army confiscated a warehouse where about 60,000 liters of gasoline were illegally stored and the order was given to distribute the fuel to residents of the area.
It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion near the border with Syria.
The blast was the latest tragedy to hit the Mediterranean country hit by devastating economic and political crisis. Sunday’s explosion was the deadliest in the country since an Aug 2020, blast at Beirut’s port that killed at least 214
Angry people set fire to the property of the fuel tanker owner in Akkar region following the tanker explosion
Lebanese Red Cross members were still searching the area for more victims as Lebanese soldiers cordoned the area.