Kigoogwa Town, along the Kampala-Gulu highway, was thrown into chaos on Tuesday evening when a fuel tanker exploded.
At around 3:00 p.m., a fuel tanker with the registration number UAM 292Q, traveling from Kampala to Gulu, overturned in the heart of the town.
According to locals, the driver of the fuel truck lost control and jumped out of the vehicle before it overturned. They say he screamed for everyone to stay away from the truck before disappearing. It is said that locals approached the truck to siphon fuel, and it was during that moment the tanker exploded.
The locals and boda boda men who were at the scene to siphon fuel from the tank were the most severely affected by the blaze.
“The victims were burnt beyond recognition,” said Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, before stating that emergency responders worked tirelessly to contain the fire.
By press time, Onyango said that 11 people had been confirmed dead, including nine adults and two children.
He added, “Unfortunately, I have also been told that other people have died as they were being transported to different hospitals, including Mulago and Bombo hospitals. We shall be updating the public about the exact numbers.”
Scores of people are being treated for severe burns, though the exact number of injured individuals is yet to be confirmed as many remain in critical condition.
The remains of those who perished in the fire have been transferred to the city mortuary in Kampala, while authorities work to identify the victims.
Onyango also said that four buildings housing nine businesses were reduced to ashes, with merchandise worth millions of Ugandan shillings destroyed in the inferno.
“The scale of destruction was immense,” he said.
Investigators are still piecing together the events that led to the tanker overturning and catching fire.
