A private passenger bus caught fire near the 64-kilometre marker on the Southern Expressway, between the Kurundugahahetekma and Welipenna interchanges, a short while ago, according to police.
The bus, which was travelling towards Galle, was carrying at least 20 passengers when the incident occurred.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was caused by a technical fault. All passengers were reportedly evacuated from the vehicle, and no injuries have been reported so far.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the incident, while efforts were taken to manage the situation and clear the affected section of the expressway. Traffic in the area may experience temporary delays as officials complete their operations.
