Tanzania Fuel Tanker Explosion Kills at Least 57, AP Reports

(Bloomberg) -- At least 57 people have died after a fuel tanker burst into flames in Tanzania, the Associated Press reports, the latest in a string of mass casualties where dozens trying to siphon away fuel were killed in a subsequent explosion.

The incident happened in the town of Morogoro, a town about 120 miles inland from the coastal economic hub of Dar es Salaam. A tanker had crashed in an early-morning accident, and it was engulfed by a crowd where many tried to collect the tanker’s fuel.

Such incidents have become commonplace across Africa. Dozens died when a crashed fuel tanker exploded in Nigeria in July, while in May dozens more in Niger were killed after an overturned oil tanker blew up. In all those cases, authorities said people trying to get fuel from the tankers were among the dead.

To contact the reporter on this story: Derek Wallbank in Singapore at dwallbank@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chua Baizhen at bchua14@bloomberg.net, Niluksi Koswanage, Linus Chua

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