Uganda: Over ten killed in oil tanker explosion

At least 10 people have died in a fuel tanker explosion in the western Uganda on Sunday evening.

According to the officials, the rescue teams have retrieved nine additional bodies from the scene of the accident in Rubirizi district.

“Those who were recovered were nine yesterday. Even today the recovered are nine, bringing the total number of the dead to 18 so far,” said the official.

“We are yet to recover more bodies. We have suspended the exercise briefly because the fuel tanker has again caught fire and burst into flames. We have left it to cool down first so that we can exhume more bodies,” he said.

The accident occurred after the petrol tanker from the western town of Mbarara lost control and rammed into two commuter taxis and a saloon car at Kyambura trading center, along the Kasese-Mbarara Highway.

The tanker burst into flames, killing several people instantly.

Police said a stream of liquid fire from the fuel also burnt about 25 small shops over a stretch of more than 30 meters.

He said the police have deployed a fire brigade truck from Bushenyi to try to put off the fire and an ambulance for evacuation.

Nearly 90 people were killed in neighboring Tanzania on August 10 after a petrol tanker exploded in Morogoro region, about 200 km from the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

The police further ensured that the injured persons were shifted to nearby hospitals.