Explosion in Villa Marina: “That could have been avoided,” says resident

Santo Domingo.– A strong explosion recorded this Wednesday in the In Tempo Villa Marina apartment tower, caused outrage among residents who claim that since the early hours of the day a strong smell of gas was already perceived throughout the building.

“From early on there was a smell of gas, and I immediately alerted the building’s security without getting a response. That could have been avoided,” reported one of the affected residents, who preferred to remain anonymous.

The explosion, originating in an apartment on the second floor, left a balance of five people injured, including two in serious condition: a Chinese national woman, owner of the property, and her maintenance employee, of Haitian nationality. Both were transferred to health centers in the capital due to burns and injuries caused by the explosion.

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The impact of the accident was felt throughout the structure, causing significant damage and forcing the authorities to completely evacuate the tower. The Fire Department of the National District reported the temporary closure of the building, while they conduct investigations to determine the exact causes of the incident and assess structural integrity. Some indicated that, if the initial alerts had been heeded, the event “could have been avoided“.