This archive report was first published on 14 August 2019.
On August 10, 2019, a devastating fuel truck explosion occurred near the town of Morogoro, Tanzania, approximately 200 kilometers west of Dar es Salaam, the country's financial capital.
According to hospital officials, the death toll from the blast has risen to 82, with seven more people succumbing to their injuries. Thirty-two others are being treated, including 17 in intensive care, following one of the deadliest oil tanker blasts in Africa in recent years.
"We are continuing to fight as best we can to save those still alive," said Aminiel Aligaesha, a hospital spokesman, in a statement to reporters.
The explosion occurred when a fuel tanker overturned while trying to avoid a motorcycle, causing flames to engulf a crowd trying to collect leaking petrol. An investigation has been launched into the accident, with a preliminary report expected later in the week.
This incident is part of a string of similar disasters in Africa, with at least three such incidents occurring this year alone.
