Gas tanker blast injures 16 in Sudan's capital

At least 16 people suffered various injuries and burns on Saturday when a gas tanker exploded in the center of Omdurman city in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, a local official said.

At around 10:00 am local time (0700 GMT) Saturday, a gas tanker exploded as it was unloading its gas shipment at the gas store of Omdurman Bakery, said Magdi Abdul-Aziz, commissioner of Omdurman city.

"Sixteen people, suffering from surface burns, first-degree burns, medium burns and light injuries, have been rushed to Omdurman hospital," he noted.

He explained that the blast shattered the glass windows of some neighboring buildings and caused some ceilings of citizens' homes near the site to collapse, pointing out that a number of stores have also been affected by the blast.

The commissioner further noted that the concerned authorities at the prosecutor, the civil defense and criminal police have embarked on investigations to determine the reasons behind the incident.

In April 2015, a similar incident took place when a gas tanker bumped up against a bridge in central Khartoum and caught fire before it exploded, leaving one child dead and 18 people injured.

Source: XINHUA