Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) medics attend to victims of the oil
tanker fire disaster yesterday. These are among those who escaped death
in the incident in which the ill-fated tanker exploded as some residents
of Mbagala-Charambe in Dar es Salaam scrambled to siphon petrol on
Monday. One was killed at the scene while four others died at MNH while
receiving treatment. PHOTO | SALHIM SHAO
By Henry Mwangonde, The Citizen Reporter
In Summary
They were killed when the vehicle overturned at
Mbagala Charambe roundabout on Monday and burst into flames. Those who
survived the crash spoke yesterday of their ordeal as Muhimbili National
Hospital officials took stock of the crisis.
They were killed when the vehicle overturned at
Mbagala Charambe roundabout on Monday and burst into flames. Those who
survived the crash spoke yesterday of their ordeal as Muhimbili National
Hospital officials took stock of the crisis.
The injured, most of them bodaboda riders, were
burnt as they tried to extract fuel from the tanker that later exploded.
“I was on the other side of the road when I saw a friend carrying two
jerry-cans, his body wet with petrol,” 25-year-old Nurdin Salum told The
Citizen from his hospital bed. “Next thing, my entire body was
burning.” He does not understand why Tanzanians do not learn from their
mistakes. Many people were killed in Mbeya some years back in the same
circumstances, he recalled.
Salum reckons poverty is the main cause of such
accidents, given that people dash into danger without giving any thought
to the consequences. Had it not been for people tampering with the
lorry, he added, the situation would not have arisen.
Mr Abbas Mohammed (23) expressed regret at being
at the scene of the accident at that particular time. He added: “I am
married with two children. I do not know how long I will stay in
hospital. Let others know that they must avoid getting close to fuel
tankers.”
Most of those interviewed said they were
passersby. But the acting regional police commander for Temeke, Mr
Nyigesa Wankyo, told The Citizen the majority of the severely injured
were trying to steal fuel from the tanker. At least 19 people were
injured and one died at the scene.
The hospital received 15 patients who were in
critical condition and two of them died at around 1pm the day they were
brought in. Two others died yesterday morning, raising the number of the
dead to five. The critically injured are being monitored closely by
doctors.
Those who lost their lives, all of them residents
of Mbagala, are: Ramadhan Hassan(36), Hassan Ismail (19), Maulid Rajaab
(61) and Mohammed Ismail (23). The body of the other victim was burnt
beyond recognition.
No comments:
Post a Comment