Two minors have been confirmed to be part of the 11 individuals who lost their lives due to a fuel tanker explosion that ignited in Kigogwa town, situated along the Kampala-Bombo road in Wakiso district.
According to reports, the fuel tanker, which was enroute from Kampala to Gulu, overturned, prompting nearby residents to gather and attempt to scoop or siphon fuel into jerrycans just moments before the tanker erupted in flames.
Patrick Onyango, the spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan area, confirmed that 11 individuals, comprising nine adults and two minors, were burned at the scene to the extent that they were unrecognizable.
“The fuel tanker, with registration number UAM 292Q, was traveling from Kampala to Gulu when the accident occurred. Unfortunately, people who rushed to siphon fuel from the tanker were the most affected,” he said in a statement.
The fire also resulted in the destruction of four buildings that contained nine shops, leading to the loss of properties valued in the millions of shillings due to spilled fuel.
Those injured were promptly transported to nearby medical facilities for care.
Onyango stated that the police are undertaking an investigation to ascertain the number of injured individuals receiving treatment at the various facilities.
The identities of the affected individuals have yet to be determined.
He emphasized that this unfortunate event highlights the dangers associated with fuel tanker incidents and underscores the necessity of exercising caution when handling hazardous substances.
In 2013, over 31 individuals lost their lives, and many others sustained severe burns in a fire that erupted from an oil tanker after it was struck by another vehicle in Namungoona, a suburb of Kampala along the Northern Bypass route.
Many victims were caught in the blaze while attempting to scoop or siphon fuel from the tanker just prior to the collision.
This incident marks the most severe of its kind in Uganda since December 2001, when 90 people perished under similar circumstances in the eastern region of the country.
