Narok — Twelve people narrowly escaped death after the matatu vehicle they were traveling in burst into flames and burnt beyond recognition at Ntulele area along the Narok- Maai Mahiu highway.

Narok police commander John Kizito said the midday incident involved a Matatu that was ferrying passengers from Nairobi to Kisii.

Upon reaching the accident point, Kizito said the driver noticed some smoke coming out from behind his seat.

This prompted him to stop near the Ntulele Police Station where he asked all the passengers to alight from the vehicle.

"At the time of the incident, the vehicle had 11 passengers who had boarded the vehicle in Nairobi and were traveling to Kisii county," said the police commander.

The fire grew bigger and bigger and within a few minutes the vehicle was erngulfed in fire and burnt beyond recognition, the police boss narrated.

He said efforts of the passengers, police at Ntulele police station and residents to put off the inferno were futile as it grew bigger and reduced the matatu vehicle into a scrap metal.

The passengers traveling in the vehicle were later evacuated to another vehicle while what was left of the ill-fated vehicle was towed to Ntulele police station.

The police boss confirmed that the cause of the fire is not yet known and no person was injured in the 1pm incident.

He called on motorists to inspect their vehicles before starting any journey so as to avoid such incidents.