A propane tank on a food truck in Philadelphia exploded Tuesday afternoon, leaving a mother and her teenage daughter critically injured and sending at least nine others to the hospital, the Associated Press reported. The cause of the explosion if being investigated.
The La Parrillada Chapina food truck was parked outside an auto body shop in the city's Feltonville neighborhood when the rear left propane tank ignited around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said. The victims, 42-year-old Olga Galdemez and daughter Jaylin Lanadaverry, were working inside the truck when the tank exploded and caused major burns across a substantial portion of their bodies, family members told NBC10.com on Wednesday. Both of them remain in critical condition at Temple University Hospital.
Four bystanders were also burnt and hit with debris. "I turned around and saw the fire coming toward me," said Latoya Page. She suffered first degree burns to the left side of her body. "I fell, got back up and started running again." Nicole Ellis, who lives nearby, rushed outside after the blast rocked her house. "A girl was walking by from the nail salon and her whole back got sprayed with debris," Ellis said. "She was screaming all the way up the street, 'I'm on fire! I want my mom! I want my mom!' And then a man sitting on his porch actually got caught with fire as well. It was pretty bad." All three were hospitalized in stable condition.
Surveillance footage captured the explosion, followed by a huge fireball that engulfed the truck and crossed to the other side of the street. Two cars driving by the explosion were briefly engulfed by flames, Small said, and five people inside were treated at area hospitals.
Along with police detectives, the city's fire department and the bomb squad are investigating the explosion. "We want to ensure that this was an accidental explosion. We want to ensure this wasn't anything criminal," Small said. "The bomb squad is investigating to see if there is any foul play. That will be the result of a completed investigation."
Neighbor Luis Rivera told The Philadelphia Inquirer that his home across the street shook from the blast. "I thought it was a car accident - there are usually a lot on this street," he said. "Then I came outside and saw the lunch truck in flames."
