Matatu Full Of Students Bursts Into Flames Along Kisii-Kiligoris Road

Henry Nyambega told the reporters that he grew concerned when a lot of passengers started coughing shortly after the bus stopped at Nyakegogi center.

With a quick glance in his rear-view mirror, he noticed smoke rising from the truck and took the split-second decision to pull over and order the passengers out.

"The passengers were overwhelmed with the smoke. I immediately stopped the vehicle along the road and asked the conductor to let the travelers out and guide them to safety," Nyambega stated.

Nyambega and his conductor lifted the co-seat as the driver suspected the smoke was coming from the battery. A ball of fire appeared from beneath the truck, forcing them to evacuate.

"As we continued trying to establish the origin of smoke, a ring of fire emerged from underneath the vehicle, spreading throughout the vehicle, burning it down completely," the heroic driver narrated.

Except for the vehicle, no passengers or property were injured or lost. The vehicle had been serviced before the journey, according to Nyambega, and had no mechanical issues at the time of the event.

The conflagration has been investigated by police officials who responded to the passengers' emergency calls. The charred remains of the vehicle were transferred to the Itumbe police station for additional examination.

The pupils in the vehicle were given permission to continue their journey in a different vehicle.

The vehicle's owner, who arrived on the scene, claimed losses of an undisclosed amount.

The incident occurred less than a month after a bus carrying people caught fire on the Nairobi-Kisumu route on May 2. According to the passengers, a tire burst caused the 57-seater to catch fire.

The fire damaged property of unknown worth, and passengers told the press that efforts to rescue some belongings from the lower level were futile owing to the rapidly spreading flames.