Fuel tanker explosion in Uganda kills 11 people

A devastating fuel tanker explosion in Kigogwa, approximately 25 km north of Kampala, Uganda, claimed 11 lives, including two minors. The incident occurred when a fuel tanker overturned at approximately 3:00 PM local time, leading to a catastrophic fire that also destroyed four buildings containing nine shops.

According to eyewitnesses, including local shopkeeper Bukenya Jefferson, people rushed to siphon fuel from the overturned tanker despite warnings from the driver about potential explosion risks. The victims were burned beyond recognition, and significant property damage was reported, with losses estimated in the millions of Ugandan shillings.

Police cordoned off the area while forensic specialists and emergency responders assessed the damage. Local official Charles Lwanga reported that firefighters successfully prevented the flames from reaching a nearby petrol station, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.

This tragedy adds to Uganda's history of similar disasters. Notable incidents include the 2019 Kyambura accident that killed 19 people, the 2002 Rutoto crash claiming 70 lives, and a 2013 Kampala explosion that resulted in 33 deaths.

The incident occurs as Uganda develops its oil infrastructure, including a controversial $10 billion project with TotalEnergies and China's CNOOC to develop oil fields in Lake Albert and construct a 1,443km heated pipeline to Tanzania. The country imports approximately 2.5 billion liters of petroleum annually, with President Yoweri Museveni emphasizing oil's importance for economic development in a nation where the poverty rate stood at about 20% in 2020-2021.

The accident happened just days after a similar tragedy in northern Nigeria, where a fuel tanker explosion killed more than 170 people on October 15.