Death toll rises in South Sudan tanker explosion

JUBA, South Sudan

The death toll from Wednesday’s tanker truck explosion in Maridi county in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria rose to 193, with at least 50 people critically wounded, medical officials said.

Health officials at University Hospital of Juba confirmed the death toll on Sunday.

The explosion happened in the town of Maridi after the oil tanker overturned on a road about 300 kilometers west of the capital.

After the tanker started to leak, one of the residents lit a cigarette, sparking the explosion.

The South Sudanese government has also declared three days of mourning in the country.