Ugandan bus crash kills 70

The bus was engulfed in a fireball

At least 70 people - including 10 foreigners - have been killed after a fuel tanker crashed into a passenger bus in western Uganda.

There were no survivors... everyone was burnt to death

Police spokesman

The brakes on the tanker appear to have failed, causing it to roll down a hill and slam into a large bus.

Police say no-one survived because a huge fireball engulfed the bus.

The crash occurred at 1500 local time (1200 GMT) about 290 kilometres (180 miles) west of the Ugandan capital, Kampala, where the bus was to terminate its journey.

It had set off from the town of Mpondwe, near the country's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The tanker was taking fuel to DR Congo.

Charred wreckage

Initial reports said the 10 foreigners were tourists, although a police official from the area said that they were United Nations workers based in DR Congo.

UN officials in DR Congo could not confirm that any of their staff were killed in the accident, the Associated Press news agency reported.

It is thought that two of the dead were Indians, one was from Kenya and the rest were Europeans, police officials said.

Officials at the scene of the crash described the aftermath as "terrifying", with bodies still trapped in the charred wreckage

"There were no survivors," police spokesman Asuman Mugenyi said.

"There is nothing that can be done now. Everyone was burnt to death. What we could do was clear the road."

Transport concerns

Officials at Kampala's bus terminal said the bus could have been carrying at least 60 seated passengers, but many more may have been standing.

The BBC's Will Ross in Kampala say it is the third crash involving a petrol tanker in Uganda in the past six months, raising concerns about the way fuel is transported around the region.

Late last year in the east of the country, a tanker overturned and as villagers rushed to the scene to collect petrol, it exploded, leaving dozens dead.

Then, two months ago in Kampala, a train collided with a fuel tanker.

Following this latest crash, the police have admitted not enough is being done to ensure the safe transportation of fuel around the region.

Road accidents are common in Uganda, mostly due to the poor condition of vehicles.

Police say there were about 15,000 accidents in 2001 and over 1,500 people died.