A businessman is counting huge losses after a fire gutted 12 buses and a lorry at a garage in Kenyatta Road estate, Juja.

Joseph Kariuki, the proprietor of Chania Special Travellers Sacco, said he was informed on phone of the Sunday morning fire by the caretaker. Kariuki led detectives from Juja police station to the scene to assess the damage.

The businessman said the fire was put out by residents and the Kiambu Firefighters, although they could not salvage any of the buses that ply the Thika-Nairobi-Mombasa route.

The caretaker said he was woken up by a loud bang at 3am. “I woke up and found two of the buses on fire. I rushed and opened the gate into the garage and residents responded to put out the fire. But before the firefighters had arrived the flames had spread to other buses and a lorry.”