TIRUVALLUR: Thirty-six passengers escaped unhurt after a private omnibus travelling from Vijayawada to Puducherry caught fire on the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway near Karanodai, close to Ponneri, early on Friday.

The bus was completely gutted, while passengers lost their luggage, valuables and cash in the blaze.

The driver noticed smoke and flames emerging from the engine compartment at around 5.30 am and immediately pulled the vehicle over to the roadside.

He instructed all 36 passengers to evacuate before the fire rapidly spread and engulfed the bus. Police said the bus, driven by Sundar of Andhra Pradesh, had left Vijayawada at 8.30 pm on Thursday and was heading to Puducherry when the incident happened near Sholavaram.