Passengers aboard a 60-seater bus narrowly escaped a tragic fate after the vehicle burst into flames on Thursday morning along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway near Mtito Andei, within the Tsavo National Park.
The early morning incident saw passengers scramble for safety as the fire, suspected to have been caused by a technical failure, rapidly spread through the bus. Fortunately, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported, though the incident left many shaken.
“We were just going about our journey when suddenly, we noticed smoke coming from the back of the bus,” said one passenger, visibly shaken by the experience. “The next thing we knew, the bus was on fire, and everyone was rushing to get out.”
The quick response by the passengers ensured that everyone safely evacuated before the flames could spread further. Eyewitnesses reported that the fire started small but quickly engulfed the entire vehicle.
“We are grateful that no lives were lost,” remarked a spokesperson for the bus company. “We sincerely apologize to our passengers for the ordeal they had to endure and are fully committed to investigating the cause of the fire to prevent such incidents in the future.”
Firefighters were promptly dispatched to the scene and managed to put out the fire before the remains of the bus were towed away. Despite the delay, passengers were reassigned to other buses and continued their journey to their respective destinations.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of public service vehicles (PSVs) in Kenya, as this is not an isolated case. Similar incidents have been reported recently, including one in February when a bus traveling from Nairobi to Mombasa also caught fire. In that case, passengers were quickly evacuated and placed in another PSV to continue their journey.
Transport authorities have urged PSV operators to conduct thorough vehicle inspections to ensure the safety of passengers. “The safety of our citizens is paramount,” said a spokesperson from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). “We will be intensifying checks on public transport vehicles to ensure they meet the required safety standards.”
