SOUTH AFRICA: A bus plying the Cape Town to Zimbabwe route caught fire this morning on the N1 in Joburg on its way to Zimbabwe leaving at least 17 people seriously injured.

Videos shared online show jumping through the windows.

Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar confirmed the incident. “There have been no deaths  reported. It is only the luggage burning, but there is a fear of an explosion,” Minnaar said.

Minnaar also confirmed that no deaths had been reported yet.

Police sources suspect that petroleum based products might have sparked the inferno.

Meanwhile traffic on the N1 North is being diverted from William Nicol on to Witkoppen, joining the N1 again.

According the company, the bus caught fire after a front tyre burst. Unofficial reports say this might have caused the fire

“The bus driver then stopped the bus and as he alighted, the smoke spread to the rest of the vehicle,” paramedics said.

This resulted in passengers rushing to get off, and in getting injured in the process.