As many as 44 passengers travelling in a private luxury bus had a narrow escape after the vehicle caught fire on Mumbai-Goa highway in Maharashtra's Raigad district in the wee hours of Sunday, police said, reported news agency PTI.

The incident occurred near Kashedi tunnel in Poladpur area around 2 am, an official said.

The bus driver's alertness led to the passengers alighting to safety quickly as he sensed something wrong after one of tyres burst, he said, reported PTI.