At least 40 people have died in a road accident in southern Uganda after a fuel tanker exploded.

Police said the fuel tanker truck burst into flames when it collided with a minibus.

The minibus driver had decided to overtake several vehicles and ran into the truck.

The tanker swerved across the road, hitting two others cars before crunching into the minibus.

All of the bus passengers and two people in one of the cars are believed dead.

The condition of the fuel truck driver is as yet unknown.

The collision occurred on busy roads late on Saturday about 30 miles east of the capital, Kampala.

The accident site, outside the town of Najembe, is a well-known “black spot” on the highway, where many accidents have occurred in the past.