DR Congo oil tanker blaze kills 200

At least 200 people are feared dead after an oil tanker exploded and set fire to parts of a village in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The truck, travelling from Tanzania, overturned in the village of Sange near the country's eastern border. DR Congo oil tanker blaze kills 200 The fuel oil spread through the village before exploding, AFP news agency said. Five UN peacekeepers were reported to be among the dead, while at least another 100 people were believed to have been injured. Such accidents are not uncommon in the region, and the death toll is often high because people try to collect spilled oil. Vincent Kabanga, spokesman for the South Kivu regional government, said: "A tanker truck coming from Tanzania overturned in the village of Sange." The village is about 70km south of the town of Bukavu in South Kivu, close to the border with Burundi. "There was a crush (of people) and a petrol leak, there was an explosion of fuel oil which spread through the village." 'Excessive speed' Congolese military sources and local Red Cross officials said the death toll could be more than 200 dead and more than 100 wounded. A security source in the United Nations mission in DR Congo said there were "223 dead and 110 injured". He told AFP: "What is certain is that the toll will get higher. It seems that what happened was truly horrible." The search was continuing "for more charred bodies", the source added. Dozens of homes, many built from earth and straw, were engulfed in the night-time fire. It was unclear whether the truck exploded when it crashed or whether the blaze was started later. Marcellin Cisambo, governor of South Kivu province, where the accident took place, told Reuters: "Some people were killed trying to steal the fuel, but most of the deaths were of people who were indoors watching the (World Cup) match. Five peacekeepers from the United Nations mission in Congo were killed as they tried to prevent people from approaching the overturned tanker, Reuters reported. A police officer based in Bukavu said the accident had been caused by the lorry's "excessive speed". The officer, who did not give his name, said that many of the villagers who surrounded the vehicle before it exploded were children. The village, which is home to many Congolese soldiers and their families, was "in total mourning", the officer added.

DR Congo oil tanker blaze kills 200

The fuel oil spread through the village before exploding, AFP news agency said.

Five UN peacekeepers were reported to be among the dead, while at least another 100 people were believed to have been injured.

Such accidents are not uncommon in the region, and the death toll is often high because people try to collect spilled oil.

Vincent Kabanga, spokesman for the South Kivu regional government, said: "A tanker truck coming from Tanzania overturned in the village of Sange."

The village is about 70km south of the town of Bukavu in South Kivu, close to the border with Burundi.

"There was a crush (of people) and a petrol leak, there was an explosion of fuel oil which spread through the village."

'Excessive speed'

Congolese military sources and local Red Cross officials said the death toll could be more than 200 dead and more than 100 wounded.

A security source in the United Nations mission in DR Congo said there were "223 dead and 110 injured".

He told AFP: "What is certain is that the toll will get higher. It seems that what happened was truly horrible."

The search was continuing "for more charred bodies", the source added.

Dozens of homes, many built from earth and straw, were engulfed in the night-time fire.

It was unclear whether the truck exploded when it crashed or whether the blaze was started later.

Marcellin Cisambo, governor of South Kivu province, where the accident took place, told Reuters: "Some people were killed trying to steal the fuel, but most of the deaths were of people who were indoors watching the (World Cup) match.

Five peacekeepers from the United Nations mission in Congo were killed as they tried to prevent people from approaching the overturned tanker, Reuters reported.

A police officer based in Bukavu said the accident had been caused by the lorry's "excessive speed".

The officer, who did not give his name, said that many of the villagers who surrounded the vehicle before it exploded were children.

The village, which is home to many Congolese soldiers and their families, was "in total mourning", the officer added.