Chemical spill near dam sparks crisis response in Tanzania
A truck carrying suspected sulfur veered off the road and crashed near the primary water source for Morogoro Municipality.
WEDNESDAY April 29, 2026
By Farida Mangube
Full Shangwe Blog, Tanzania
A potential environmental disaster was narrowly averted on the Morogoro–Iringa highway, Tanzania, after a truck carrying suspected sulfur veered off the road and crashed near Mindu Dam – the primary water source for Morogoro Municipality.
The accident involved a vehicle belonging to Alhushum Company.
The truck lost control and slammed into trees at Mikoroshini area of Mindu Ward, coming to a halt approximately 300 metres from the water’s edge.
”I witnessed the incident firsthand; traffic was at a complete standstill for nearly two hours, eventually requiring the Fire and Rescue Force to thoroughly scrub the road surface,” one of the stranded passengers said.
The accident, he explained, was reportedly triggered by a bus driver travelling from Iringa, who attempted an unsafe overtake.
This, he added, forced the oncoming truck driver to veer sharply off the road to avoid a head-on collision.
The truck plowed through several trees before the cargo spilled, and the driver ended up deep in the brush.
Officials from the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Wami-Ruvu Basin Water Board, Morogoro Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MORUWASA), and the Fire and Rescue Force worked frantically to contain the spill.
Residents should continue using the water without fear,” CPA Sais Kyejo, the Morogoro Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Managing Director.
The primary concern was the looming threat of rain; had it rained, the chemicals could have been washed into the dam.
Mindu Dam provides clean water to approximately 75 per cent of Morogoro Municipality’s residents.
Initial containment efforts relied on manual labour to block drainage channels leading to the dam before specialised heavy machinery arrived later in the evening.
Despite the initial tension, authorities have moved to calm public fears.
Engineer Elibariki Mmasi, the Director of the Wami-Ruvu Basin Water Board, confirmed that the rapid intervention successfully prevented the sulfur from reaching the water source.
“Residents should continue using the water without fear,” CPA Sais Kyejo, the MORUWASA Managing Director.
Kyejo noted that preliminary tests show no change in the quality of the water being distributed.
This was echoed by Ms Magdalena Mtenga, the Central Zone Manager for the Government Chemist Laboratory Authority.
Ms Mtenga arrived all the way from the country’s administrative Capital – Dodoma – to oversee the site.
While she acknowledged that sulfur is hazardous—noting its flammability and potential to irritate the skin and respiratory system—she confirmed that no adverse health effects were reported during the recovery operation.
While the immediate threat has been neutralised, the incident has raised red flags regarding road safety and hazardous materials.
Arnold Mapinduzi, the NEMC Manager for the Morogoro and Rufiji Zone, stated that the recovered chemical would be disposed of or destroyed in strict accordance with environmental laws.
Alarmingly, this marks the third accident involving sulfur transport on the Morogoro–Iringa highway within a single month.
The frequency of these incidents has prompted calls from environmental experts and local residents for stricter regulations and enhanced safety protocols for transporting hazardous chemicals through sensitive ecosystemsΩ
