33 Killed As Bus Hits Fuel Truck in DR Congo

Thirty-three people died in a horrific collision between a fuel truck and a crowded bus in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the weekend, police said on Monday.

Local police captain Antoine Pululu told AFP that victims were engulfed by a "huge fire sparked by the collision" overnight Saturday in the west of the country.

Another police source noted that the bodies were destroyed by the flames, adding that the remains which were recovered were buried on Monday.

The huge fire took place near the village of Kibuba along national route one around 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the capital Kinshasa.

Indeed, deadly road accidents are frequent in DR Congo where the roads are full of old vehicles which often do not comply with safety norms.

The roads are often difficult and in a bad state of disrepair. In addition, the drivers may not be properly trained, as some drink and drive.

The last oil tanker accident in the country, which killed 53 people along another main road into Kinshasa, occurred in October 2018.