Tanzanian sugar plant explosion claims 11 lives and wounds two more

An accident at the Mtibwa sugar factory in Tanzania’s eastern Morogoro district claimed the lives of several people, including a Kenyan.

Officials from the Fire and Rescue Brigade (FRB) and local police have confirmed that the incident happened as a result of an electrical malfunction in the heating system.

Journalists in Morogoro were informed by SACP Morogoro Regional Police Commander Alex Mkama, “We have confirmed that one Kenyan, one Indian, and one Brazilian died in the incident which happened in the early hours of May 23 at 1:30 am.”

He added that the factory hospital’s morgue had saved every body.

The deceased, according to SACP Mkama, were all mechanical and electrical engineers working in the control room before the manufacturing shift for the day began.

“Two injured people have been admitted to Bwagala Mission Hospital in Turiani Ward,” stated SACP Mkama.

The Morogoro Regional Fire and Rescue Commander, Shaban Marugujo, informed the Mwananchi daily earlier on Thursday that the FRB sent a team right away to the accident site to conduct rescue and evacuation drills.

According to his initial inquiries, the technical team was getting ready to start producing sugar when there was an explosion.

“We will release an official report once the investigation is complete,” he stated.