Mass Burial held in Freetown for those who died in fuel tanker explosion

The 115 people killed in Friday’s massive fuel tanker explosion in Sierra Leone will be buried in a mass ceremony in the capital, Freetown. They will be laid to rest in the same cemetery as some of those who died in the 2017 mudslide that killed 1,000 people in the city.

Many of the dead were burnt beyond recognition after fuel leaked before catching fire at a busy junction.

In a televised address on Sunday night, president Julius Maada Bio declared three days of national mourning for Friday’s disaster and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast.

He also said that a task force would be set up to look into the tragedy, and make recommendations on how to avoid similar incidents.

The authorities have also made an urgent appeal for blood donations to treat more than 100 burn victims admitted to hospitals.

The explosion happened after a fuel tanker, which was turning on a busy road, was hit by a speeding truck. In the aftermath of the crash, dozens of people rushed forward to collect the leaking fuel in containers, with the hope of using or selling it.