South Sudan – At Least 182 Dead in Fuel Truck Explosion

Authorities said late this week that at least 182 people died following a fuel truck explosion in South Sudan.

Officials also said that the toll could increase due to the region’s inability to properly treat burn victims, according to a Reuters report.

The truck veered off a road in Maridi in the state of Western Equatoria on Wednesday; it exploded after nearby residents had gathered to collect the spilled fuel. Local authorities blamed a lit cigarette for the blast.

South Sudanese leaders stressed that the explosion was an accident and unrelated to conflicts in the war-torn nation.

Fuel trucks in Africa frequently travel great distances on poorly maintained roads and through poor communities. A similar incident in Uganda in 2013 killed at least 30 people and injured many more.