Kochi: Four passengers had a lucky escape after the car they were travelling in was gutted in a fire on the Amman Kovil Road at North Paravur in Ernakulam on Thursday.

Kurupumkadavil Gopakumar, who owns the vehicle, was driving to North Paravur Town from Cherai with four of his friends.

The passengers quickly exited on spotting smoke emerging from the vehicle. Fire & Rescue personnel managed to put out the fire but the rear end of another car that was parked nearby reported minor fire damage.

The cause of the fire is suspected to be a short circuit. Several incidents of cars catching fire on the road have been reported in Kerala in the past few months.