Bus Fire at CHAN 2024: Fans Caught in Tragic Incident on Way to Opening Ceremony
- A bus transporting fans to the opening ceremony of the 2024 CHAN caught fire in Northern Tanzania
- The Confederation of African Football has stepped up safety measures across all host countries ahead of the tournament
- This year’s CHAN will be jointly hosted by Tanzania and two other African nations
A tragic scene was narrowly avoided in Tanzania after a bus ferrying football fans to the opening ceremony of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) went up in flames.
The incident occurred in the Bushini area, located in the Malenve Ward of the Kwimba District in the Mwanza region of Tanzania.
Source: Getty Images
The bus, which belonged to the Teachers’ Union in the Misungwi District, had 45 passengers onboard when disaster struck.
According to eyewitness accounts, the vehicle began to emit thick smoke before catching fire.
The driver acted quickly, pulling over and ensuring that every single person got off safely before the flames spread. Thankfully, there were no casualties.
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Regional Police Commander, DCP Wilbrod Mutafungwa, confirmed the fortunate outcome.
He shared that the cause of the blaze was linked to an electrical malfunction within the bus.
“No fatalities or injuries were reported in the incident. The Police Force thanks the citizens who responded swiftly and helped save lives before police and firefighters arrived,” he said, as quoted by Guardian TZ.
CAF tightens security ahead of CHAN 2024
In light of the upcoming tournament, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has strengthened safety protocols across the host nations.
Christian Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s security department, assured that adequate precautions are in place.
“The key priority for us at CAF is to make sure that we organise a safe and secure event across the three nations.
"We have been working closely with the local organising committees of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya to make sure that we work together in developing a clear concept that will be doable and workable across the three countries,” he stated.
With the tournament set to make history as the first CHAN competition hosted across three nations, both fans and players alike are hoping the rest of the event unfolds without incident.
Source: Getty Images
When is the CHAN 2024 opening ceremony?
Despite the scare, preparations for the tournament continue in full swing.
According to CAF Online, the opening ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, August 2, at the iconic Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Over 800 VIPs, including Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and Kenya’s Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, are expected to grace the occasion.
Tanzanian music sensation Rayvanny will lead the entertainment, bringing his vibrant energy to what promises to be a memorable launch.
After the festivities, hosts Tanzania will battle Burkina Faso in the opening fixture of the competition.
Italian club endures fire outbreak at training facility
In a related report, YEN.com.gh earlier highlighted that a fire outbreak at Fiorentina’s training facility left four individuals injured and destroyed a youth pavilion.
Thankfully, all the victims are reported to be in stable condition.
The unfortunate incident unfolded on the same night Inter Milan endured a heavy Champions League loss to PSG.
Source: YEN.com.gh
