On Wednesday, a civil defense official announced that there have now been 25 fatalities due to the explosion that tore through a town's commercial district in the Dominican Republic.
Less than 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the capital Santo Domingo, a blast on Monday jolted the commercial district of San Cristobal, setting up a fire that raged for hours and sent up a massive column of smoke.
According to the official, Delfin Antonio Rodriguez, 25 people either died at the spot or in the hospital.
Later in the day, an official death toll will be released. Emergency personnel said that 37 of the 59 injured victims were still in hospitals.
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According to local media, some injured had burns covering up to 40% of their bodies. According to the authorities on Monday, a four-month-old baby was among the fatalities.
The explosion's exact origin and cause have not been established. The explosion and subsequent fire impacted nine buildings, and four were partially damaged.
