Dominican authorities say they’re pursuing a felony case towards a plastics firm based mostly on proof discovered throughout an investigation into an explosion this week that killed 31 individuals
ByMARTÍN ADAMES ALCÁNTARA and DÁNICA COTO Related Press
Firefighters put out a hearth after a robust explosion in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, Monday, Aug 14, 2023. The Monday afternoon explosion killed at the very least three individuals and injured greater than 30 others, authorities mentioned. (Jolivel Brito/Diario Libre by way of AP)
The Related Press
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Dominican authorities introduced late Friday that they’re pursuing a felony case towards a plastics firm based mostly on proof discovered throughout an investigation into a robust explosion this week that killed at the very least 31 individuals.
Police and the Public Ministry issued a joint assertion saying the blast occurred at a enterprise known as Vidal Plast, relatively than at a bakery as authorities had mentioned initially. The explosion occurred Monday afternoon in a bustling business heart in San Cristobal, a metropolis simply west of the capital of Santo Domingo.
“The Public Ministry has proof that compromises the felony accountability of these accountable who, with their actions, prompted the loss of life of dozens of individuals and prompted thousands and thousands in losses,” the assertion mentioned, citing prosecutor Fadulia Rosa Rubio.
The ministry mentioned it was investigating a number of individuals, however didn’t determine them.
The house owners of Vidal Plast couldn’t be instantly reached for remark. The corporate recycles, buys and sells plastic supplies, officers mentioned.
Authorities additionally mentioned they’ve proof that there was a hearth on the enterprise in March brought on by a spark and a chemical substance and that the corporate didn’t take any measures “regardless of realizing the excessive danger of its operations.”
Víctor Bisonó, the minister of trade and commerce, instructed reporters that the municipality had closed the manufacturing facility prior to now, however he didn’t present extra particulars.
N Digital, a revered on-line newspaper within the Dominican Republic, reported that the corporate was based in 2003. It quoted one of many firm’s founders as saying that the manufacturing facility was not working and that two of its workers have been merely eradicating materials from the positioning when the explosion occurred, with considered one of then being killed.
Officers on Friday additionally raised the variety of {dead} to 31 from 28. They mentioned seven of the {dead} had been recognized up to now. On Thursday, the federal government mentioned it might take as much as three months to determine all these killed within the blast.
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Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico
