Police have confirmed that the number of deaths recorded from last week’s fuel tanker explosion at Kigogwa trading center in Kampala has risen to 26.
According to the police spokesperson, Rusoke Kituuma, the 26 deaths include six females and 20 males.
He confirmed the figure during the weekly security media briefing held at Naguru Police headquarters on Monday, October 28th, 2024.
Kituuma said by Sunday, October 27th, 2024, only 22 bodies had been claimed by the relatives upon conducting DNA, while the remaining bodies are still in the city mortuary.
Ten bodies were recovered from the scene of a fuel tanker explosion in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024.
According to police, the tanker had overturned and it immediately burst into a large explosion at Kigogwa Town along the Kampala-Bombo road, resulting in the loss of 11 lives, including nine adults and two minors, instantly.
The tanker, registration number UAM 292Q, was traveling from Kampala to Gulu when it overturned and caught fire. Unfortunately, people who rushed with Jerry cans to siphon fuel from the tanker were the most affected.
This tragic incident has destroyed four buildings housing nine shops, resulting in millions of shillings in property losses.
Last week, the government announced a Shs5 million support to each affected family.
Police say fuel tanker accidents have become a recurring problem, resulting in significant loss of life and property. In 2022 alone, Uganda recorded 15 fuel tanker accidents, claiming 43 lives and injuring 71 people.
