Congo fuel truck explosion kills 230 people; most buried in mass graves (video)

Late Friday, at least 230 people were killed when fuel tanker truck overturned and exploded in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the bodies were buried in two mass graves nearby. People were trapped in nearby buildings, and a cinema where a crowd had gathered to watch the World Cup, after a cigarette sparked a fire where fuel had leaked from the truck in Sange village.

The fuel truck was travelling from Tanzania when it overturned about 70km south of the town of Bukavu in South Kivu. After the fuel began to leak, people came out and attempted to collect the fuel, but then a fire was sparked and it spread quickly.

"Petrol began to leak out but instead of fleeing people came to collect the fuel," said Tondo Sahizira, who told the AFP news agency.

"A few minutes later there was an explosion, flames burst from the truck and spread very quickly." "Men, women and children, even [government] soldiers were stealing petrol," said a Sange resident.

The Red Cross created two mass graves outside the village, and carried the bodies of the dead to the gravesite, according to the Associated Press. The bodies were wrapped in white plastic sheeting.

Those who were injured were helped by aid workers.

South Kivu's vice-governor, Jean-Claude Kibala said that the views in the village on Saturday were "terrible." "There are lots of dead bodies on the streets. The population is in terrible shock - no-one is crying or speaking," he said.

See the quick video below of the fire from the explosion.

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Sources: CNN and the BBC

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