Passengers evacuated from burning bus TWENTY passengers had to be evacuated off a Transperth bus after it caught fire this afternoon. The bus had just left Curtin University when the driver noticed a fire in the engine at about 4.15pm. The driver stopped and evacuated all passengers before closing the gas valves to the engine. He attempted to extinguish the blaze with a fire extinguisher but the fire was too large. Fire crews were on scene within minutes and put out the fire shortly afterwards. The fire caused extensive damage to the rear quarter of the bus. None of the passengers were injured and an alternate bus was arranged to take them to their destination. The damaged bus was towed to the depot for investigation.