More than 30 passengers managed to escape unhurt from a company shuttle bus after it caught fire in Pudong New Area yesterday, Shanghai Morning Post reported today.

The bus caught fire when on Jinhai Road near Huadong Road about 5:50am yesterday, the report said.

The fire started from the rear wheel and the driver stopped at once and evacuated all passengers, the report said. It was unclear what caused the fire.

Although the driver tried to douse the flames with an extinguisher, the fire spread quickly and soon engulfed the entire vehicle, the report said.

A fire brigade extinguished the blaze about 6:12am.

The bus was destroyed as the roof had melted and all the seats were burnt.

Another company shuttle bus picked up the stranded passengers, the report said.

On May 5, three people were killed and 12 others injured when a No.842 bus caught fire in Shanghai.

The bus was carrying about 50 people when it caught fire in Yangpu District during the morning rush hour.

The Shanghai Public Security Bureau said that a commuter carried combustible goods onto the bus, which caused the fire.

(Shanghai Daily June 5, 2008)