At least 60 people were killed yesterday morning when a tanker truck exploded near the city of Morogoro, about 200 kilometers west of Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, the local police chief said.
"A powerful explosion killed at least 60 people, mostly taxi drivers, who rushed with other people to collect fuel from the tank after it was disrupted by a traffic accident," said provincial police chief Wilbrod Mtafungwa.
These incidents occurred in the town of Samsara, on the outskirts of Morogoro.
Shortly after the truck overturned on the sidewalk, taxi drivers rushed to the scene to steal spilled fuel, similar to a number of city residents. The fuel appears to have been ignited by a cigarette that caused the explosion.
"The bodies were taken to hospital," the provincial police chief said.
Recorded footage from the scene showed scores of charred bodies spread on social media. Footage from the blast showed a large crowd collecting fuel spilled from the truck into yellow sheets after the accident.
"The situation is really bad," an eyewitness told Reuters. "A lot of people were killed here, even those who didn't steal fuel because this place is crowded."
“The fire was enormous,” he said. "I saw rescue efforts between 65 and 70 people, where the fire was spreading quickly at the scene."
"I offer my condolences to all those affected, especially the families of the victims, and I call for the speedy recovery of the wounded," Tanzanian President John Magovoli said in a statement.
He expressed surprise that «people rush to vehicles that have been accidents in order to steal their cargo».
“Some vehicles carry dangerous fuels, such as the Morogoro case. Others transport toxic chemicals or explosives. Stop this habit, please. '' Tanzania and many African countries are experiencing heavy traffic accidents due to poor roads and cars.