Bhubaneswar, May 25: Around 20 passengers had a narrow escape when tyres of a city bus caught fire near Rasulgarh Square this afternoon.

The incident happened around 12.50pm when the 32-seat mini bus from Cuttack with 20 passengers on board was heading to Master Canteen Square.

Sources said timely action of fire officials averted a major accident.“The road was clear and so we could reach the spot very quickly. Otherwise, the fire could have spread to other parts of the bus. Though the exact cause of the fire is not yet clear, we think that the friction of the wheels with the road in the heat caused the fire,” said assistant fire officer of Bhubaneswar Ramesh Majhi.

No one was injured as the passengers were immediately evacuated from the bus.

“I was in the bus when we smelt something burning. Then we found the two rear wheels on fire and immediately got down from the vehicle,” said Sandip Panda, a passenger.

Earlier this week fire in a Odisha State Road Transport Corporation bus heading to Sinapali in Nuapada district from Bhubaneswar had left five people dead.