This archive report was first published on 14 August 2019.
On August 11, 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 a hospital official, the blast claimed the lives of 82 people, with seven more succumbing to their injuries in the following days.
Aminiel Aligaesha, a hospital spokesman, stated, "We are continuing to fight as best we can to save those still alive," as 32 others received treatment, including 17 in intensive care.
The explosion was triggered when a man attempted to retrieve the truck's battery, creating sparks that ignited the fuel, engulfing a crowd trying to collect leaking petrol.
Following the incident, an official inquiry was ordered, with a preliminary report expected later in the week.
This tragic event is part of a string of similar disasters in Africa, with at least three such incidents occurring in 2019 alone.
