70 passengers who boarded Axa Bus to Mangochi survived what could have been fatal fire accident after the bus they were travelling in caught fire.

An eyewitness who rushed to the scene confirmed of the development in an interview with faceofmalawi reporter.

According to an eyewitness, the traffic police impounded the vehicle at one of the roadblocks in the capital Lilongwe and declared the bus not road worth.

But the bus driver whose identity is yet to be established, bribed the traffic police with MK10, 000 and the bus was later released.

Few minutes after starting off the vehicle developed electrical fault and fire erupted.

“A Turbo charger busted and there was heavy smoke from the exhaust pipe. It is AXA 14. Smoke only stopped after the engine was switched off, No injuries, no victims” said one of the passengers.

Meanwhile Axa officials hired new bus and the passengers proceeded with a journey to Mangochi.