Trinity Bus Catches Fire Near Kigali

KIGALI — A Trinity Express bus travelling from Uganda caught fire as it approached Kigali on Monday evening, destroying the vehicle and passengers’ luggage but leaving no reported fatalities.

The bus caught fire near Nyacyonga, on the outskirts of the Rwandan capital.

Images and video from the scene showed the vehicle engulfed in flames at night, with thick smoke rising above the road as bystanders watched from a distance.

Eyewitnesses said the bus was completely burnt along with passengers’ luggage.

The cause of the fire was not immediately established.

The incident has renewed concerns over the safety and mechanical condition of buses operated on the busy Uganda-Rwanda route.

Abdu Dilshan Wasike, a Ugandan traveller, said he and five friends experienced a similar incident involving a Trinity bus earlier this year while returning from Rwanda after watching a CAF Champions League match between Al Hilal and Mamelodi Sundowns at Amahoro Stadium.

Wasike said their bus developed a fire-related emergency at about 11 p.m., roughly 10 kilometres from the Rwanda-Uganda border.

“It was so scary seeing people fighting for life as we were all covered in smoke inside,” Wasike said.

He said tyres underneath the bus were burning, forcing passengers to evacuate and walk to Gatuna, where they remained until about 5 a.m. before another bus was provided.

“It’s high time TRINITY EXPRESS BUS COMPANY check their large fleet of buses,” he said.

There was no immediate public statement from Trinity Express addressing Monday’s incident or Wasike’s account of the earlier episode.

The latest fire is expected to intensify scrutiny of passenger bus maintenance and safety procedures on regional routes connecting Kampala, Kigali and other East African cities.