For a man in Kilifi County, Saturday (May 29, 2021) will not be bringing good memories. Every time this day rings into his mind, all he will be reminiscing is how his brand new Toyota Land Cruiser V8 was reduced to ashes.
The man, name withheld, was heading for a family meeting in Kilifi when his journey was brought to a sudden halt before it had even started at Vipingo, along the Malindi-Mombasa Highway.
According to Benedict Luseno, a casual worker at a nearby Rea Vipingo Plantations Ltd, he was riding his motorbike towards Shariani trading centre when he noticed the posh car, but something was amiss… “How on earth would I be overtaking such a high engine car with my Haojin motorbike?” He wondered.
Nevertheless, his motorbike overtook the car. But Luseno was not believing yet. He looked at his side mirror, only to notice a dark smoke blowing out of the vehicle’s engine area. It was at this point that he slowed down and informed the driver.
Toyota Land Cruiser V8 didn’t have a fire extinguisher
By the time the driver was stopping the vehicle, flames of fire could be seen underneath it. The site of this sent the man into a state of confusion right away.
The other three occupants of the car, a man and two ladies, jolted out, with pitiful villagers who had noticed the unfortunate event rushing to the scene armed with water buckets. Their efforts to put out the fire only but slowed the burning process.
“Boda boda riders at the stage tried asking the man if the car has a fire extinguisher but he could not answer. So confused was the man that at some point, I saw him picking up stones to try and put out the fire with,”Luseno told TV47 Digital on phone.
They resorted to helping the vehicle occupants secure their personal items and documents from the vehicle.
By the time the firefighters from Mombasa Cement factory and county government arrived 40 minutes later, they were met with the burnt-out shell of the vehicle.
By the time the firefighters from the Mombasa Cement factory and county government arrived 40 minutes later, they were met with the burnt-out shell of the Toyota Land Cruiser V8. PHOTO/ TV47.
The burnt out shell of the Toyota Land Cruiser V8 was carted to Kijipwa Police Station.
Silver lining for the Toyota Land Cruiser V8 man
The only silver lining is that damage to your car from a fire is covered by different types of insurance depending on the cause of the fire and the damage done.
If your vehicle caught fire due to a car accident with another vehicle or object, your insurance claim will most likely be handled by your auto collision insurance. However, most fire-related losses from other causes are covered by your comprehensive insurance policy, or by a supplemental fire insurance policy.
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