A car engine caught fire, sparking panic on a road in Cameroon.

Footage shows thick smoke from under the bonnet of the maroon Mitsubishi before there were flames in Yaounde on January 20.

No one was inside, and the female driver fled when she saw the smoke before calling for help.

Good Samaritans rushed to help, opened the door and put out the fire. Some of the onlookers brought bottles of water to assist in dousing the blaze.

The filmer Nahjela Vanecia said: 'This happened at Post Centrale. The lady's car overheated and caught fire.

'People panicked and tried to put out the flames. No one was injured.'

The car was severely damaged by the fire and had to be towed away from the middle of the road.