sierra leone s vice president says the state will provide economic assistance to the families of a hundred people killed on friday when a fuel tanker exploded in the capital, freetown. the city s hospitals have been overwhelmed by the number of people injured. umaru fofana reports from freetown. the blast happened in eastern freetown after a truck rammed into a petrol tanker. people rushed to collect the leaking fuel, causing a heavy traffic jam, according to eyewitness accounts. there was a vast explosion, leaving fireballs spreading through the crowds. vehicles in the traffic jam were set alight. hospitals in freetown are overwhelmed with injured people, many in critical condition. most of the dead have been taken to the central mortuary.
most of the dead have been taken to the central mortuary. we started transporting bodies from 11 until 4:00. the last set of bodies, i had to convey them with some soldiers to the morgue, for us to get a total headcount. just outside here are anxious relatives who have been asked to come and identify their loved ones. obviously, some of the bodies are beyond recognition, so that s going to be very tricky for them to do, but also a very emotional scene here. some of them have moved from hospital to hospital, trying to see if their loved ones are actually either admitted or, in fact, dead. on behalf of the president, the government and the entire people of sierra leone, we sympathise. the country s vice president called the incident a national disaster. police, soldiers and firefighters have worked through the night to clear the scene. rescuers expect the death toll to mount. umaru fofana, bbc news, freetown. police investigating
have been taken to the central mortuary. we started transporting bodies from 11 until four o clock. the last set of bodies, i had to convey them with some soldiers to the morgue, for us to get a total headcount. just outside here are anxious relatives who have been asked to come and identify their loved ones. obviously, some of the bodies are beyond recognition, so that s going to be very tricky for them to do, but also a very emotional scene here. some of them have moved from hospital to hospital, trying to see if their loved ones are actually either admitted or, in fact, dead. on behalf of the president, the government and the entire people of sierra leone, we sympathise. the country s vice president called the incident a national disaster. police, soldiers and firefighters have worked through the night to clear the scene. rescuers expect the death toll to mount. umara fofana, bbc news, freetown.
hello and welcome i m reged ahmad. sierra leone s vice president says the state will provide economic assistance to the families of nearly 100 people killed on friday when a fuel tanker exploded in the capital, freetown. the city s hospitals have been overwhelmed by the number of people injured. umaru fofana reports. the blast happened in eastern freetown after a truck rammed into a petrol tanker. people rushed to collect the leaking fuel, causing a heavy trafficjam, according to eyewitness accounts. there was a vast explosion, leaving fireballs spreading through the crowds. vehicles in the traffic jam were set alight. hospitals in freetown are overwhelmed with injured people, many in critical condition. most of the dead have been taken to the central mortuary. we started transporting bodies
most of the dead have been taken to the central mortuary. we started transporting bodies from 11 until 4:00. the last set of bodies, i had to convey them with some soldiers to the morgue, for us to get a total headcount. anxious relatives. just outside here are anxious relatives who have been asked to come and identify their loved ones. 0bviously, some of the bodies are beyond recognition, so that s going to be very tricky for them to do, but also a very emotional scene here. some of them have moved from hospital to hospital, trying to see if their loved ones are actually either admitted or, in fact, dead. on behalf of the president, the government and the entire people of sierra leone, we sympathise. the country s vice president called the incident a national disaster. police, soldiers and firefighters have worked through the night to clear the scene. rescuers expect the death toll to mount. umaru fofana, bbc news, freetown. you can get much more on that story on the bbc news website.