Teacher killed in fuel tanker fire on George Washington Avenue

María Altagracia Méndez, a beloved teacher and school director, died tragically when a fuel tanker truck caught fire on George Washington Avenue in Santo Domingo. Her mother-in-law, Cecilia Jiménez, tearfully remembered Méndez as an exemplary, devoted, and loving woman, describing her as being like a daughter.

The family is enduring immense grief as they await the release of Méndez's body from the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif). Despite the delay, relatives gathered at the Blandino funeral home to receive condolences from friends and community members. Méndez, a mother of three, is survived by her husband, who is also described as an exemplary man and a deacon.

According to family accounts, Méndez, 40, was on her routine morning commute around 6:30 a.m. when the accident happened. She typically left early to avoid traffic congestion. Her family became concerned when she didn't arrive at her destination and used her car's GPS to track her location, which led them to the accident site.

Family members recounted a distressing search through multiple hospitals, receiving no information until they located her vehicle. Méndez was known for her passion for teaching and caring for children at the Imara Educational Center. Community members in the Franconia sector of Santo Domingo Este fondly remembered her as "Tata," highlighting her dedication as both an educator and a neighbor.