Death toll in Tanzania fuel tanker blast climbs to 89

Death toll in Tanzania fuel tanker blast climbs to 89

Doctors and nurses are working round clock to save lives of 31 victims admitted to the hospital, says health official

ANKARA (AA) - Death toll has risen to 89 in the aftermath of a fuel tanker explosion in northern Tanzania, a health official said on Thursday.

A spokesman for the National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Aminiel Aligaesha, confirmed the recent death toll Thursday.

“Doctors and nurses are working round the clock to save the lives of 31 victims admitted to the hospital,” he said.

On Saturday, a fuel truck overturned about 200 meters (656 feet) from the Msanvu bus station in Morogoro town.

The tanker driver reportedly lost control while he was trying to avoid a motorcycle operator.

People had rushed to the area after the accident to siphon the leaking fuel before the explosion. They were among the victims of the tragic event.

Most of the victims were motorbike riders who were at the scene collecting the spilt fuel and the food vendors at Darmorogoro highway, according to earlier reports.

Some people were burnt beyond recognition.

Tanzania media have reported that burial of 60 of the victims started in a mass burial ceremony on Sunday.

In a statement issued Sunday by the presidential communication office, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli had announced three days of national mourning following the tragedy.

On Saturday, he expressed shock over the looting of fuel from the accident and warned people against the practice.

Media reports show that similar incidents happened previously in different parts of Africa.

In July, at least 45 people were killed when a crashed fuel tanker exploded in Nigeria's northern Benue state.

About 80 people died in May in a similar accident near the airport of Niamey, Niger's capital city.

A similar deadly explosion in 2013 killed at least 29 people on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital Kampala.

More than 30 people were killed in 2016 outside Naivasha town in Kenya after a fuel tanker crashed into other vehicles and burst into flames.

*James Tsamba contributed to this story from Kigali


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