Government officials have disclosed that nearly 40 people have been killed after a bus and a minibus collided in Tanzania, sparking a fire that engulfed both vehicles.
The crash occurred in Sabasaba Area in the Kilimanjaro Region after one of the bus’s tyres was punctured, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and had a head on collusion with the oncoming taxi.
A statement from the Tanzania Presidency indicated that a total of 38 people died in the crash, including two women and due to the extent of the burns, 36 bodies remain unidentified and the nationalities of the victims were not immediately known.
The statement indicated that twenty-eight people were injured, six of whom were still in hospital for treatment.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wished a quick recovery to those injured and are admitted in hospitals.
President Suluhu also called for stricter adherence to road safety saying that deadly vehicle crashes have become frequent on Tanzania’s roads.
In recent years, the Tanzania Government has made repeated calls to curb road accidents, which continue to plague the country despite various road safety campaigns.
According to a report released by tbe World Health Organization in 2018, an estimated 13,000 to 19,000 people in the country were killed in traffic accidents in 2016, significantly higher than the government’s official toll of 3,256 people.
Additional Reporting from Associated Press.
