DAR ES SALAAM, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and five others injured after two buses collided with a fuel tanker, causing a fire in the Coast region in eastern Tanzania, said police.
Pius Lutumo, the Coast regional police commander, said the accident occurred at 4 a.m., local time, when the two buses heading to southern highlands regions attempted to overtake other vehicles but failed before colliding with the fuel tanker on the opposite side along the Dar es Salaam-Morogoro highway.
"The fuel tanker exploded after the collision and ignited the fire that also burnt the tanker to ashes," said Lutumo, adding that all passengers except the two dead and three injured in both buses managed to get out before the buses were burnt.
Lutumo added that most of the passengers' belongings were destroyed by the fire.
He said two firefighters, who were also injured, were among a team of rescuers attempting to put out the fire but in vain, adding the accident caused long queues of vehicles on both sides of the highway. Traffic resumed about three hours later after the vehicles were removed from the road. ■