A gasoline truck explosion outside Uganda's capital claimed the lives of 11 people on Tuesday, with two children among the dead, police reported.
The fatal accident occurred after the truck overturned near a highway in a town just outside of Kampala, resulting in a devastating blast.
Patrick Onyango, the police spokesman, described the grim scene, stating, "The dead were burnt beyond recognition." A thick cloud of smoke rose above the accident site, while the community and authorities confronted the aftermath of the tragedy.
Eyewitness footage shared online captured the moments before the explosion, showing people gathering around the overturned truck to collect leaking fuel. This dangerous behavior echoes similar tragic incidents in other parts of Africa.
In a separate event in Nigeria's Jigawa state last week, more than 140 people, including children, lost their lives when a fuel truck explosion occurred under similar circumstances.
Despite repeated warnings from authorities, people often rush to the scene of such accidents, hoping to collect fuel to use or sell. This risky behavior continues to claim lives across the region, while desperate individuals put themselves in harm's way. The video from Tuesday's incident starkly illustrates this peril, with people approaching the wreckage moments before the explosion.
Onyango highlighted the broader issue in a statement, calling attention to the persistent dangers of fuel tanker accidents.
"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," he said. The message resonates across East Africa, where similar disasters have occurred.
Newsweek has reached out to the Uganda Police Force for comment vie email.
East Africa has witnessed several fatal fuel-related accidents in recent years. In 2019, at least 62 people were killed in Tanzania as they attempted to siphon fuel from a damaged truck.
The most deadly of such incidents occurred in South Sudan in 2015, where at least 183 people perished after hundreds of villagers gathered around a fuel truck to collect the precious commodity.
Tuesday's explosion adds to the tragic legacy of fuel truck accidents in the region, serving as yet another grim reminder of the inherent dangers associated with fuel transport and the desperate actions it can provoke.
As the death toll rises, authorities continue to urge communities to stay away from hazardous scenes, yet such warnings often go unheeded in the face of economic hardship.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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