Nearly 35 schoolchildren had a narrow escape this afternoon when the school bus in which they were travelling back home suddenly caught fire on Bibiwala Road in Bathinda.The exact cause of the fire is not known yet. All students managed to escape safely after breaking the rear glass and a windowpane of the bus.A student said, “Smoke started billowing out from the engine. We all moved to the rear portion of the bus, and then the fire broke out.”Sources said the bus was equipped with one fire extinguisher, while two additional extinguishers were arranged from a nearby shop to help control the blaze.Some shopkeepers helped rescue the students. Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president Amarjit Mehta also reached the spot, which was just a few metres from his residence.