This archive report was first published on 10 August 2019.
On Saturday morning, a devastating fuel tanker explosion in Morogoro town, Tanzania, left a trail of death and destruction, claiming the lives of at least 60 people and seriously injuring 70 others.
The tragic incident occurred when a fuel tanker burst into flames, spilling fuel along the Dar es Salaam-Morogoro highway. Motorcyclists and food vendors who rushed to the scene to collect the leaking fuel were among the victims.
According to eyewitnesses, one of the people who went to scramble for the fuel had been smoking a cigarette, which may have contributed to the tragic outcome.
"This has never happened in Morogoro town. The fuel spilled about 100 metres along the road," said Morogoro Regional Commissioner Steven Kwebwe at the scene.
Personnel from the Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) and the fire brigade responded to the incident, taking the bodies to the mortuary at Morogoro Regional Hospital.
The incident is a stark reminder of the dangers of scavenging for free fuel, a common practice in many parts of the continent.
On January 2009, a similar incident occurred in Kenya, where an overturned tanker exploded near Sachang'wan in today's Nakuru County, resulting in loss of life.
