LUCKNOW, Oct. 27 -- As many as 39 passengers travelling in a double-decker sleeper bus had a narrow escape early Sunday morning after the vehicle caught fire near the Rewari toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. The bus, on its way from Delhi to Gonda via Lucknow, suddenly caught fire around 4:45 am for reasons unknown, a senior police official confirmed on Sunday. All passengers were safely evacuated before the vehicle was engulfed in the blaze.

Upon receiving the alert, Kakori police and the fire brigade rushed to the spot. The fire team brought the blaze under control within an hour, preventing it from spreading further. Police said the passengers were quickly rescued before the fire could consume the entire bus.

The incident co...