KAMPALA – At least 11 people were killed Tuesday after a fuel truck exploded next to a highway in Uganda, police said. Two children were among the dead.
The truck overturned after an accident and later exploded in a town just outside Kampala, the capital, police spokesman Patrick Onyango said.
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“The victims were burnt beyond recognition,” he said in a statement. A cloud of dark smoke rose from the scene.
A video shared online by an onlooker appeared to show people scooping up fuel from the truck before the blast. The dangerous scene echoed a similar incident in Nigeria last week that killed more than 140 people, including children.
People who rush to collect fuel from stricken trucks hope to sell it, despite warnings to stay away.
“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 said.
There have been similar incidents over the years across East Africa. At least 62 people were killed in Tanzania in 2019 as they attempted to siphon fuel out of a damaged truck.
In South Sudan, at least 183 people were killed in 2015 when hundreds of villagers gathered around a fuel truck to collect fuel.