Burned-up bus kills at least 20 passengers in N.Tanzania

At least 20 people have been killed while 43 others injured after the bus they were travelling in overturned and caught fire in northern Tanzania Friday night, local press reported on Saturday.

Singida Acting Regional Police Commander Lawrence Tarimo said that the bursting of a front tyre had caused the bus to overturn near the town of Singida.

The bus, belonging to a local company, was travelling from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza.

Aubrey Mushi, medical officer-in-charge of the Singida Regional Hospital, confirmed that his hospital had received 42 injured passengers and a two-month-old infant.

Traffic police estimated that the ill-fated bus might have been carrying more than 60 people at the time of the mishap in that the bus has a capacity to carry 65 people in all.

Singida Regional Commissioner Vincent ole Kone admitted that the Singida Municipality has no fire tender or a proper rescue brigade, or the municipality might have saved more lives from the tragedy.

Source: Xinhua