A bus which caught fire on the Waikato Expressway last night, burned the luggage of school students who were returning from camp

Emergency services were called just after 8PM, after a bus caught fire while being towed on the Waikato Expressway, which led to the road being shut north of Huntly.

Year seven, and eight students, from Pasadena Intermediate, were returning to Auckland from camp when one of their buses broke down.

A school email says the students were moved to another bus - and around 7pm, the bus being towed caught fire with all the students luggage inside.

The school says it's an upsetting way for the camp experience to end.