Road accidents leave 20 dead in Uganda

KAMPALA, Aug 19 (AP): At least 20 people have been killed in two separate motor accidents in Uganda, including an explosion involving a fuel tanker in the country's west, police said on Monday, in incidents highlighting growing road safety concerns in the region.

A fuel tanker exploded Sunday after losing control and ramming two commuter taxis and a car in a western district.

The fire from the tanker sparked "three smaller secondary explosions" of vehicles parked nearby, and several small shops at the scene also caught fire.

Nine burned bodies were retrieved from the scene and another was still trapped beneath the truck, a police statement said.

Later on Sunday, according to police, 10 people were killed and four others critically injured when a speeding minivan crashed into a passenger bus on a highway in eastern Uganda.

Lethal traffic accidents frequently happen in the region, where roads are often narrow and potholed. Ugandan police usually blame motor accidents on speeding drivers.