BUGWERI, UGANDA: A transnational fuel tanker exploded into flames on Saturday morning in Butende village, Ibulanku sub county, Bugweri district along the Iganga-Bugiri highway.
It is reported that the tanker was ferrying diesel from Kenya to Kampala.
The tanker which burst into flames at around 9:00am was burnt beyond recognition. However, the driver and other two passengers on board were rescued uninjured. The trio fled from the accident scene.
Eyewitnesses say the driver was driving recklessly at a very high speed and after overtaking a sugarcane truck that had been ahead of him, the brakes failed, ending in the tanker overturning and bursting into flames.
Mawazi Kawolo, the area LC 1 chairperson says that their village is volatile with several youths fond of looting from transnational trailers involved in accidents.
He says the delayed arrival of fire fighters to respond to the crash made it hard for them to secure it from members of the public.
Farouk Wagabaza, a cyclist within the area says the area residents mobilized themselves to station temporary barricades, which deterred the fire from spreading to neighboring communities.
Mulawa Waiswa, a resident within the area says that the crash resulted into panic within their community and most parents locked up their children inside the houses, as a means of deterring them from being exposed to the accident scene.
The Busoga East acting regional traffic officer, Emmanuel Kakoza said efforts of clearing the burning wreck from the middle of the road were still ongoing.
Traffic was diverted to the Mbale-Tirinyi road as a means of minimizing inconveniences experienced by other road users.
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