The death toll from a fuel fire in Kampala, Uganda, has risen to 31 people, UPI quoted police as saying Sunday. The fire began at 10 p.m. Saturday after a Toyota crashed into the rear of a fuel tanker and caused the fuel to leak, The Sunday Monitor said. The fuel spilled all over the road and into the drainage channels, making the entire area susceptible to a fire, officials said. Witnesses told the Monitor that the victims rushed to the scene with buckets to help scoop up the food. The fire then engulfed the scene and trapped several people. Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Andrew Kaweesi described the event as a national tragedy, the Monitor said. Twenty-nine people who survived the incident but are severely burnt were admitted to the hospital. Families and friends of the victims have also reported to the mortuary to help identify their loved ones. Most of the bodies are burnt beyond recognition, officials said.
