73 Killed In Fuel Truck Explosion In Mozambique

73 people have been killed while 110 suffered severe burns in Mozambique on Thursday as they tried to siphon fuel from an overturned truck which exploded near the border with Malawi, the government said on Thursday.

port-harcourt-petrol-tanker-explosion1

In a statement, the government said the truck was transporting fuel to Malawi from the port city of Beira when the accident occurred.

The incident occurred when citizens tried to take petrol from a truck” in a small village in Tete province, the statement said.

 “Because of the heat, the truck burst into flames, leading to the deaths of 43 people and causing burns in 110 others, according to investigators’ initial findings,” it added.

Initial government reports said 43 people were killed, but the death roll later rose to 73.

Ambulances and medical personnel were deployed to the scene in order to assist the victims. The injured were evacuated to Tete hospital,” the government statement said.

The injured had been taken to hospital and a government team was due to travel to the area in Tete province, some 2,000 km from the capital Maputo on Friday.

Authorities are probing whether the truck was selling petrol when it exploded, or whether it had been ambushed by residents, information ministry director Joao Manasses told AFP.

Mozambique is one of the world’s poorest countries and struggles constantly with food shortages caused by drought.

1 COMMENT