A bus carrying 50 school children caught fire near Mudigere in Channapatna on Saturday. There were no injuries reported, however. 

Around 350 students studying in Class 10 at BEL school in Bengaluru’s Jalahalli were on their way to Srirangapatna on a one-day tour in six buses, when one of them caught fire at around 8.30 am. 

The driver of the bus is learnt to have spotted smoke and the smell of diesel and directed the students to get down the bus. 

Although the exact reason for the fire is unknown, some reports attributes it to technical reasons. 

Fire and rescue personnel reached the spot and doused the fire. 

An official at the school told The News Minute that the school had rented out six BMTC buses for the purpose of taking the students on excursion. 

"Thankfully, the driver acted in time. BMTC then arranged for another bus, in which the students were later taken to Srirangapatna. They have safely reached their destination now," the official said.