PHILIPSBURG: --- The male victim who was severely injured in the Pointe Blanche explosion on Friday afternoon succumbed to his injuries on Monday in Cali, Colombia, Police have confirmed.
The victim, of Asian descent and well-known in the St. Maarten community, has been identified as Yaoxin Andy Huang (29) of Sunshine Supermarket on Ginnep Road, St. Peters.
Huang was air-evacuated to Fundación Valle del Lili Hospital in Cali, Colombia, on Sunday for further medical treatment. Huang, who was in critical condition at the time he was air evacuated, received burns over 90% of his body in the blast on Friday afternoon. Police have said they are busy investigating the cause of the explosion.
Huang and a female friend were inside an apartment in Pointe Blanche on Friday when the explosion took place around 5 pm.
SMN News learned that the female victim was also air-evacuated to Panama for further medical treatment.
In a press release on Sunday, police said that they had responded to an explosion at a gray apartment complex in the Pointe Blanche area on Friday afternoon, April 19th, 2024, around 5:00 PM. Upon receiving multiple calls regarding the incident, several patrols, ambulances, and the Fire Department were swiftly dispatched to the scene.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the explosion occurred when one of the victims attempted to turn on the stove, resulting in a sudden and powerful blast. This unfortunate incident resulted in severe injuries to both individuals present in the dwelling. Immediate first aid was administered before the victims were transported to the medical center for further treatment.
