A hearse transporting a body from Nairobi to Kiamiciri village in Kirinyaga County bursts into flames at Kimica along the Kagio-Kutus road. [PHOTO/Standard]
A funeral convoy was caught in panic after the vehicle carrying a casket with the body of a former flower employee Arthur Njee Kariuki suddenly burst into flames.
According to eye witnesses, the hearse caught fire at about 11am at Kimica along the Kagio-Kutus road, Kirinyaga County.
The convoy was coming from Kenyatta University Mortuary and was headed to Kiamichiri village where the late was being transported for burial.
Hearse driver Benson Munyua said the flames came from the coffin under mysterious circumstances and that the resultant explosion almost made him lose control.
“Despite the raging fire from the rear of the vehicle towards the cabin where I was with the widow I managed through the grace of God to contain the vehicle and drove it off the road. Like in a movie scene I managed to evacuate the two mourners to safety,” said a shaken Munyua.
Mourners rushed to the scene and secured the coffin that had by now been damaged by the mysterious fire.