Twenty-two passengers and the two drivers of a double-decker express bus escaped unhurt when a fire destroyed the vehicle at Km257.5 of the North-South Expressway near Kuala Kangsar early today.

The incident happened at 2.25am when the bus was travelling from Shah Alam to Alor Setar, said Kuala Kangsar fire and rescue services senior assistant superintendent Mohd Roslan Abdul Razak.

He said the driver at the wheel stopped the bus about 500 metres from the Menora tunnel and instructed all the passengers to alight after he saw thick smoke billowing from the engine.

Mohd Roslan estimated the damage to be about RM500,000 and said the cause of the fire was being investigated.

He said the bus, belonging to Shamisha Holiday, was bought recently and went into operation last month.

The fire was put out within 10 minutes by firemen who arrived in two trucks, he said.

A passenger Azizah Khamis, 55, who is from Alor Setar, said she smelled something burning and saw smoke spewing from the engine.

When the bus stopped, she rushed out with her three children.

A police spokesman confirmed the incident and said the police had received two reports from the passengers.

- Bernama