At least 38 people have been killed and 28 others injured in a devastating road accident involving a passenger bus and a minibus in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro region. The collision, which occurred on Saturday evening in Sabasaba, sparked a massive fire that engulfed both vehicles, leaving most of the victims charred beyond recognition.
According to a statement from the Tanzanian presidency on Sunday, the tragedy was triggered by a burst tyre on the larger bus, causing the driver to lose control and collide head-on with an oncoming minibus. The resulting impact ignited a fire that rapidly consumed the vehicles, trapping passengers inside. Of the 38 fatalities, two were women, and only two of the bodies have been identified due to the severity of the burns, leaving 36 victims unrecognizable.
While the nationalities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed, the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, with six people still undergoing treatment. Emergency services and security personnel responded quickly to the scene, but the intensity of the flames hindered immediate rescue efforts.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan issued a public statement extending her “heartfelt condolences” to the families of the victims and wishing a “speedy recovery” to those injured. She urged Tanzanians to strictly observe traffic regulations, emphasizing the urgent need for improved road safety enforcement across the country.
Road accidents remain a serious public health and safety issue in Tanzania. Despite numerous campaigns and government interventions, fatal crashes continue to claim thousands of lives annually. According to the World Health Organization’s 2018 report, between 13,000 and 19,000 people died in road accidents in Tanzania in 2016 alone, a figure that far exceeds the government’s official count of 3,256 deaths for the same year.
The Sabasaba crash has renewed public calls for stricter vehicle inspections, enhanced driver training, and more robust law enforcement on highways, particularly in regions like Kilimanjaro, where mountainous terrain can exacerbate road risks.
As the nation mourns one of its deadliest traffic incidents in recent memory, authorities have pledged to investigate the crash and explore additional measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Leave a comment