COIMBATORE: Around 57 students and staff from a private engineering college in Namakkal had a narrow escape after their tourist bus went up in flames on Ooty-Mettupalayam ghat road on Saturday past midnight. According to police, the students of the engineering college from Rasipuram in Namakkal had left for Ooty on a trip on Friday night.

After visiting various tourist locales in Ooty, they began their return journey down the hills to Namakkal on Saturday night. Past midnight around 12.15 am, fire was spotted on the rear wheel of the bus by another vehicle driver, who swiftly alerted the tourist vehicle driver.

“The tourist bus was brought to a halt and all students and staff got out to safety. In a while, the raging fire engulfed the whole bus,” police said. The bus was completely gutted in fire.

The students were then sent to Namakkal through an alternative vehicle. Only a week ago, nine passengers from Tenkasi died after their tourist bus fell into a gorge on the ghat road, resulting in police issuing a set of safety guidelines.