the way logistical things moved here, it could be days before they got another supply truck to the camp.
The afternoon breeze whipped across her face, bringing with it the smell of burning fuel. But it wasn’t simply the loss of resources that frightened her. Anyone near the tanker during the explosion would have been injured. She’d read about the horrid explosion in Kenya where over a hundred people were killed and others seriously burned when a tanker exploded. Dozens of victims had been airlifted out of the area by the country’s air force, but with the RD’s military already stretched to the limit, an evacuation of that scale was out of the question here. Which could leave her and the limited facilities of the camp as their only option.
Paige held on to the door handle as their driver flew down the potholed road, bridging the distance between them and the explosion. Already she could see orange flames licking the truck while thick smoke rose from the surrounding vegetation along the road.
Rebels had ravaged and burned down villages. What if they were here?
The thought punched through her gut. She turned to Nick, thankful he’d agreed to her request to come with her. “Do you think this has something to do with the rebels?”
He shook his head. “It’s hard to say, but I’d think the rebels would be out there siphoning off the gas for their own use rather than blowing it up. They’re short on resources and a tanker of gas would probably come in pretty handy.”
“So they hijacked the tanker, then something went wrong?”
“That’s a valid possibility.”
And one she didn’t like. They’d been told that the rebels had set up their base camp in the Mponi region, but in order to stay hidden it was assumed they moved often. Which meant there was no way to be certain where they were.
The jeep skidded to a stop a hundred feet from the truck. The air smelled like burning fuel. Paige choked, and a sick feeling washed over her. Bodies lay in the ditch, the remains charred from the blast. Her stomach churned at the stench of burning flesh. The explosion had turned them into human torches.
“We’ve got to move any survivors away from the truck and get them out of here.”
Paige grabbed her medical bag and jumped from the jeep. The heavy smoke filled her lungs. She pressed her hand against her mouth and nose.
“Where are we going to take the victims?” Nick stood in front of her. “Besides the camp, the nearest hospital is over almost three hours away by car.”
Paige hollered above the confusion. “Find the driver of that truck across the street. We can use the flatbed to transport people back to the camp.”
“I’ve got my plane, but I’d only have room for three patients. Maybe four at the most.”
“We’ll leave it open as a possibility, but I’m not sure how I can afford to send any of my medical personnel with you.” Paige began pulling what she needed from her bag. “I don’t think we have any other choice but to make do with what we have with the supplies in the camp. If it becomes necessary, you can transport some to the hospital.”
“We could contact the air force,” Taz suggested. “They could airlift anyone with serious injuries to the nearest hospital.”
Military assistance would be the best-case scenario in this mess. Kingani Hospital might not have everything to treat the victims, but their resources far outweighed those of the camp. Paige nodded. “It’s worth a try.”
Taz pulled out his cell phone and started walking away from the commotion. Paige turned to Nick. Lives would be lost if they didn’t hurry.
“You worry about stabilizing people.” Nick seemed to read her mind. “The police have just shown up. I’ll work with them to get this mess organized and arrange the transport to the camp.”
Paige dropped to the ground beside a man whose right side was burnt, thankful for Nick’s ability to handle the situation.
A burly black man ran past her toward the tanker and the
The afternoon breeze whipped across her face, bringing with it the smell of burning fuel. But it wasn’t simply the loss of resources that frightened her. Anyone near the tanker during the explosion would have been injured. She’d read about the horrid explosion in Kenya where over a hundred people were killed and others seriously burned when a tanker exploded. Dozens of victims had been airlifted out of the area by the country’s air force, but with the RD’s military already stretched to the limit, an evacuation of that scale was out of the question here. Which could leave her and the limited facilities of the camp as their only option.
Paige held on to the door handle as their driver flew down the potholed road, bridging the distance between them and the explosion. Already she could see orange flames licking the truck while thick smoke rose from the surrounding vegetation along the road.
Rebels had ravaged and burned down villages. What if they were here?
The thought punched through her gut. She turned to Nick, thankful he’d agreed to her request to come with her. “Do you think this has something to do with the rebels?”
He shook his head. “It’s hard to say, but I’d think the rebels would be out there siphoning off the gas for their own use rather than blowing it up. They’re short on resources and a tanker of gas would probably come in pretty handy.”
“So they hijacked the tanker, then something went wrong?”
“That’s a valid possibility.”
And one she didn’t like. They’d been told that the rebels had set up their base camp in the Mponi region, but in order to stay hidden it was assumed they moved often. Which meant there was no way to be certain where they were.
The jeep skidded to a stop a hundred feet from the truck. The air smelled like burning fuel. Paige choked, and a sick feeling washed over her. Bodies lay in the ditch, the remains charred from the blast. Her stomach churned at the stench of burning flesh. The explosion had turned them into human torches.
“We’ve got to move any survivors away from the truck and get them out of here.”
Paige grabbed her medical bag and jumped from the jeep. The heavy smoke filled her lungs. She pressed her hand against her mouth and nose.
“Where are we going to take the victims?” Nick stood in front of her. “Besides the camp, the nearest hospital is over almost three hours away by car.”
Paige hollered above the confusion. “Find the driver of that truck across the street. We can use the flatbed to transport people back to the camp.”
“I’ve got my plane, but I’d only have room for three patients. Maybe four at the most.”
“We’ll leave it open as a possibility, but I’m not sure how I can afford to send any of my medical personnel with you.” Paige began pulling what she needed from her bag. “I don’t think we have any other choice but to make do with what we have with the supplies in the camp. If it becomes necessary, you can transport some to the hospital.”
“We could contact the air force,” Taz suggested. “They could airlift anyone with serious injuries to the nearest hospital.”
Military assistance would be the best-case scenario in this mess. Kingani Hospital might not have everything to treat the victims, but their resources far outweighed those of the camp. Paige nodded. “It’s worth a try.”
Taz pulled out his cell phone and started walking away from the commotion. Paige turned to Nick. Lives would be lost if they didn’t hurry.
“You worry about stabilizing people.” Nick seemed to read her mind. “The police have just shown up. I’ll work with them to get this mess organized and arrange the transport to the camp.”
Paige dropped to the ground beside a man whose right side was burnt, thankful for Nick’s ability to handle the situation.
A burly black man ran past her toward the tanker and the
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