The mishap occurred in Enugumarri village near Dhone on National Highway-44 at around 7.20 AM, police said.
No one was injured in the incident. However, three haystacks in the village were reduced to ashes, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dhone sub-division) P N Babu told PTI over phone.
The lorry carrying 450 gas cylinders from Anantapur district was heading to Kurnool, when the driver noticed flames from the engine and suddenly stopped the vehicle near a roadside. He rushed to the village and alerted the locals to vacate their houses and leave the place, the DSP said.
"Traffic movement on the highway was affected for some time due to the fire but was later restored," the police officer said.
A probe is on into the mishap, he added.