Tanzania Bus Crash Fire Kills 38, Dozens Injured in Kilimanjaro Region

A horrific traffic accident in Tanzania has claimed the lives of 38 people after a bus collided with a minibus and both vehicles caught fire, the presidency confirmed on Sunday. The crash took place Saturday evening in the Sabasaba area of the Kilimanjaro region, reportedly triggered by a tyre burst that caused the bus driver to lose control.

According to the presidential statement, among the dead were two women. Twenty-eight others were injured in the accident, with six still undergoing treatment in hospital. Tragically, 36 of the victims remain unidentified due to the severity of the burns sustained in the blaze.

Deadly road accidents are common in Tanzania, where transport safety standards are often lacking. A World Health Organization report from 2018 estimated that between 13,000 and 19,000 people died in traffic accidents in 2016—much higher than the official government figure of 3,256 deaths for that year.

This latest tragedy underscores the urgent need for improved road safety enforcement and emergency response measures across the country.