A tragic explosion of a gas cylinder inside a home in Caracas, Venezuela, resulted in the deaths of nine people, including seven children, authorities confirmed on Friday.
The incident occurred in the afternoon, sparking a fire that claimed the lives of the victims.
The Venezuelan Ministry of the Interior reported the fire and explosion but did not provide further details about the victims.
Earlier, Carmen Melendez, the mayor of Caracas, revealed that eight members of the same family had tragically lost their lives, with the oldest victim being 20 years old and the youngest just 15 days old.
The explosion took place on the ground floor of a home in the popular Coche neighborhood, according to firefighters.
A municipal official stated that those in the upper part of the house died from suffocation due to smoke inhalation.
This devastating event highlights the dangers posed by household gas accidents, which have caused numerous fatalities in Venezuela in recent years.
Local authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, while calls for better safety measures around gas usage in homes have intensified.
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