title: Petroleum pipeline explosions in sub-Saharan Africa: a comprehensive systematic review of the academic and lay literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experience indicates that the frequency and impact of petroleum pipeline fires and explosions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is presently under-represented in the academic literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using adapted PRISMA guidelines, the authors reviewed both PubMed and the LexisNexis Academic news database, which includes periodicals, news transcripts and online reports. Country-by-country searches were conducted for petroleum pipeline fires and explosions in SSA occurring between June 1, 2004 and May 31, 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initial search yielded 5730 articles from LexisNexis Academic and 3 from PubMed. On further review, a total of 28 separate petroleum pipeline-related incidents causing injuries and/or deaths were identified, 16 of which had not been previously reported in the academic literature. The events occurred in Nigeria (23), Kenya (2), Ghana (1), Sierra Leone (1), and Tanzania (1). A total of 1756 deaths were reported across all events. The most common cause of the original leak was intentional, either from theft or vandalism (13/20, 65%), or by militia activity (2/20, 10%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fire disasters related to scavenging fuel from petroleum pipelines are common in SSA and cause significant morbidity and mortality. These events require better reporting tools and intervention strategies overall. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that non-academic sources can effectively supplement gaps in the academic literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: lcarlso7@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Lucas C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Connaught Hospital 1, Percival Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Electronic address: ttibo2105@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Tom T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Connaught Hospital 1, Percival Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone; College of Medicine and Allied Health Science (COMAHS), New England Ville, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Electronic address: thaimyangbay@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Thaim B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kamara
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 840 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118, USA. Electronic address: megan.rybarczyk@bmc.org.
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rybarczyk
authors.affiliation: Surgeons OverSeas (SOS), 504 E. 5th St., Suite 3E, New York, NY 10009, USA. Electronic address: jeffrey.leow@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Leow
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Refugee and Disaster Response, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: tkirsch1@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Surgeons OverSeas (SOS), 504 E. 5th St., Suite 3E, New York, NY 10009, USA; Department of Surgery, Columbia University, 630 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: adamkushner@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Adam L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kushner
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D004190:Disasters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005107:Explosions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005390:Fires / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D054527:Mass Casualty Incidents / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D000066388:Oil and Gas Industry; D010578:Petroleum; D012807:Sierra Leone / Q000453:epidemiology; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum
keywords: Acute care; Burns; Emergency systems; Fire disasters; Mass casualty incidents; Pipelines