Lusaka fuel tanker explosion kills one, injures two

By Lovemore Lubinda

LUSAKA – One worker has died and two others have been hospitalized with severe burns following an explosion at a fuel transfer site in Lusaka’s Industrial Area.

The incident occurred on Monday at around 17:40 hours when three workers were decanting diesel from a faulty tanker into another.

The deceased has been identified as Kondanani Phiri, 43, of George Compound in Lusaka. He died while receiving treatment at Matero Level One Hospital.

The two injured workers are Phillimon Chitalusha, 39, of Makeni Villa and Prince Ngongo, 23, of Salima area in Matero. Both remain admitted to the same hospital.

Police spokesperson Chipo Kaitisha said the workers were transferring about 25,000 litres of diesel from a white ERF semi-trailer tanker that had developed a mechanical fault into a hired white Volvo FM9 tanker.

The fuel was reportedly meant for delivery to a client on the same day.

Kaitisha said the three were monitoring the transfer from the top of the tanker when an explosion occurred around the top valves of the last compartment.

“All three workers sustained severe burns and were rushed to Matero Level One Hospital,” she said.

Phiri, who was the driver of the hired Volvo tanker, later died in hospital.

Police said the Volvo tanker, registration CAG 3868 ZM, belongs to Pisa Transport Company, based in Matero, while the faulty ERF tanker is registered as ABR 4863.

The body of the deceased has been taken to the University Teaching Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination, while investigations into the cause of the explosion are underway.

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