An apparatus which is operative to remove oxidizable particulates from the exhaust gas of an engine. It has a particulate filter trap (C-1) disposed in a stream of exhaust gases from the engine (A), and has electrically heated elements (25) effective, when at least a portion of the stream of exhaust gases is displaced with a fluid medium for transferring heat between the elements and the collected particulates, to promote oxidation of the particulates collected in the filter trap. The electrically heated elements are supplied with energy generated by an alternator (24) driven by the engine; the elements are first heated to an incineration temperature for the particulates in the absence of gas flow, and heating of the elements is continued in the presence of a flow of an oxygen carrying heat transfer medium to promote complete oxidation of the particulates.