A head-on bus collision in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro region killed 38 people and injured 28 more after a tire puncture triggered a firestorm.
At a Glance
- The collision occurred in the Sabasaba area on the evening of June 28.
- A total of 38 passengers were killed and 28 others sustained injuries.
- The crash involved a bus and a minibus traveling on the same rural highway.
- Authorities cited a tire puncture as the immediate cause of the accident.
- Only two of the 38 victims had been identified due to severe burns.
Fire After Impact
A devastating crash between a passenger bus and a minibus in northern Tanzania killed at least 38 people and injured 28 on the evening of June 28. The collision occurred in the Sabasaba area of the Kilimanjaro region, a stretch of road frequently plagued by poor maintenance and overloaded transport. A ruptured tire caused one vehicle to swerve directly into oncoming traffic, authorities reported, igniting a blaze that rapidly engulfed both vehicles.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as bystanders attempted to extinguish the flames and rescue trapped passengers. Among the dead were two women; the remaining 36 bodies were burned beyond immediate recognition, according to the Tanzanian president’s office.
National Reckoning
President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed “heartfelt condolences” to grieving families and issued a call for tighter enforcement of traffic regulations. The president emphasized that the tragedy underscores ongoing failures in road safety, particularly in rural transport corridors where vehicles often operate without proper inspection or licensing.
The World Health Organization estimates that 13,000 to 19,000 people die in traffic-related incidents each year in Tanzania—far surpassing official government figures. These numbers rank the country among the most dangerous places in Africa for road travel.
Authorities now face pressure to address enforcement gaps that allow under-regulated transport companies to operate aging, unsafe vehicles on overstressed roadways. As emergency responders continue efforts to identify victims, local hospitals remain overwhelmed with the injured.
Road of Death
This isn’t the first time Tanzania’s rural highways have hosted mass-casualty events. A similar incident in 2017 killed 35 schoolchildren, prompting then-leaders to vow sweeping reform. Critics argue those promises remain unfulfilled.
As families mourn, the charred remains of this latest disaster stand as grim testimony to a national crisis long in need of action.
