Congolese fuel tanker explosion resulted in the deaths of 200 people. President Joseph Kabila has declared two days of national mourning inside the country.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
The death toll from last week's devastating fuel truck explosion in
the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 245, a local official
said on Tuesday.
"So far we have 245 dead," including around 60 children,
infrastructure minister for Sud Kivu province Geronce Balegamire told
reporters, adding that 92 injured were still being treated in
hospital.
Local administrator Victor Choma said that an unknown number of
injured remained "hidden at home" and were being treated with herbs as local custom forbids the use of modern medicine.
Friday's explosion in the eastern town of Sange erupted after a fuel
truck overturned and people gathered around it to syphon off its
contents, despite warnings from the driver that it might blow up.
The fireball created by the blast spread to a cinema hall where a
crowd had gathered to follow World Cup football matches in South
Africa.
More than 200 of the dead, including around 60 children and 30 women, were buried in three mass graves late Saturday in Sange, where the flames had also engulfed dozens of earth-and-straw homes.
SOURCE: Sapa-AFP
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