THE death toll from the devastating head-on bus collision in Same District, Kilimanjaro Region has inched up to 39, after a critically injured victim succumbed to burn wounds in hospital.

Nurdin Babu, the regional commissioner, said in a late interview yesterday that the newly succumbed passenger has been recognized by his relatives, though he did not have the name of the deceased at hand.

In an earlier press briefing, the RC had confirmed the deaths of 38 individuals who lost their lives on the scene upon collision impact and fire outbreak of the two buses involved in the disaster.

The Saturday evening crash shocked the nation’s conscience, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan saying the sad event is a national tragedy, while the RC yesterday reiterated the government's commitment to cover full funeral expenses for those who died in the horrific incident.

The accident occurred in the Sabasaba area, just outside Same town, involving a Channel One Co. bus (T 179 CWL) and a Toyota Coaster mini-bus (T 199 EFX), colliding head-on and bursting into flames.

SACP Simon Maigwa, the regional police commander, attributed the cause of the crash to the Channel One bus, a Fuso make, suffering a front-right tire burst and causing the driver to lose control.

The bus veered into the opposite lane, leading to the fatal collision with the mini-bus, he explained, while the RC was yesterday briefing on the convening of the disaster committee chaired by a deputy permanent secretary at the Prime Minister's Office.

The committee will receive a working assessment of the incident so that the government can assist with funeral arrangements once the bodies arrive to respective places, he explained.

There will be no mass burial and funerals will be conducted after DNA-assisted identification of the crash victims, he emphasized, stressing the vital exercise of individual identification. 

"We cannot bury them together because when the DNA results come, relatives will claim the bodies. We have tagged each of the gravely burned victims and they will be handed over to their families on the basis of the DNA results, he elaborated.

DNA results are anticipated for Wednesday and bodies then released for burial on Thursday, where the government will assist with transportation of the deceased, he affirmed.

Of the 39 victims, 33 bodies are being held at the KCMC zonal referral hospital in Moshi municipality, and six are at the Same District hospital.