Two Ch*ldren die in Escazú service station blast

By José Pablo Ramírez Vindas
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff

(posted at 3:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28)

A gasoline spill combined with a short circuit in a lighting fixture to cause explosions at a Shell service station in Escazú centro Saturday morning.

Two Ch*ldren, Nicole Loriana González Umaña, 14, and Andre González Umaña, 5, died when their mother, Loriana Umaña Mari, could not get them out of her parked car in time. They were secured by seat belts.
A policeman is being credited with saving many motorists because he told them to leave the refueling area when the spill of gasoline happened. Seven or eight vehicles were destroyed. The twin explosions and subsequent fire caused traffic to be blocked all over the western end of the metropolitan area.

The cause of the spill was not clear immediately but one witness said gasoline flowed was like a fountain. The short circuit was believed to be in a light fixture on the interior of the roof above the pumps.