According to police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, the tanker overturned following an accident and then detonated in a town outside the city, Kampala.
According to officials, a petrol truck burst near to a roadway in Uganda, killing at least 11 people. Among the fatalities were two youngsters.
According to police spokesman Patrick Onyango on Tuesday, the truck crashed following an accident and then detonated in a community just outside the city, Kampala.
“The victims were burnt beyond recognition,” he added in a statement. Dark smoke billowed up from the scene.
An onlooker posted a video online that seemed to show somebody removing fuel from the tanker prior to the explosion. The perilous picture was reminiscent of a similar catastrophe that killed over 140 people, including children, in Nigeria last week.
Despite cautions to stay away, some rush to pick up fuel from damaged trucks in the hopes of selling it.
“This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with fuel tanker accidents and the importance of exercising caution when dealing with hazardous materials,” Onyango stated.
Similar instances have occurred throughout East Africa throughout the years. In 2019, an attempt to siphon fuel from a damaged tanker in Tanzania resulted in the deaths of at least 62 persons.
In 2015, hundreds of villagers in South Sudan crowded around a petrol tanker to obtain fuel, resulting in the deaths of at least 183 people.
