A tanker truck carrying diesel fuel collided with a packed minibus and burst into flames on a Ugandan road, killing at least 32 people, police said on Sunday.
The accident occurred late on Saturday outside Najembe, a small town 45km east of Kampala, said Alfred Bitwira, the district’s police commander.
The tanker was travelling toward Kampala when a car heading in the opposite direction tried to overtake slower-moving vehicles and slammed into the truck, he said. The tanker careered across the road, hitting two others cars before plowing into the packed minibus and bursting into flames, Bitwira said.
Police could not say how many passengers were in the minibus, and many of the 32 recovered bodies were burned beyond recognition.
Four people, including a passenger in the truck, were injured, Bitwira said.
Minivans are the most common form of mass transport in Africa, but the vehicles are often poorly maintained and usually overcrowded.
More than 2 000 people died in highway accidents in Uganda last year. — Sapa-AP