Narrow escape for 50 after bus catches fire in Gilgil

The bus that was burnt catching fire in Gilgil on January 3, 2019. PHOTO | MACHARIA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The 50 passengers on board, according to the Gilgil Sub-County Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru, escaped unhurt during the incident at about 2 am.
  • The shaken passengers spent the rest of the night at Gilgil Police Station, with the bus company making arrangements for them to be driven to their destinations.

A Kitale-bound bus was burnt to a shell in the wee hours of Friday after a rear tyre burst ignited a fire.

The 50 passengers on board, according to the Gilgil Sub-County Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru, escaped unhurt during the incident at about 2 am.

The commuters, Mr Opuru said, rushed out before the fire engulfed the vehicle in Gilgil on the Naivasha-Nakuru highway.

"However, they were not able to salvage their personal effects worth thousands of shillings," he said.

Gilgil traffic boss Robert Mugo said attempts to put out the fire were unsuccessful.

The shaken passengers spent the rest of the night at Gilgil Police Station, with the bus company making arrangements for them to be driven to their destinations.

"We brought them here for their safety," Mr Opuru said.

The wreckage was towed to the police station.