All 20 passengers aboard a luxury bus escaped unhurt after the vehicle caught fire near the Vashi Bridge on Sunday. The incident, which occurred on the Mumbai-bound lane, sparked brief panic when flames erupted from the driver's cabin, but swift action averted a major tragedy on the busy Navi Mumbai route, according to the Mid Day.
Officials stated that the incident took place around 2:10 a.m. near the entrance of the Vashi Bridge. Eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke rise from the electrical wiring near the dashboard while the vehicle was in motion, with a sudden spark triggering the fire. The flames spread aggressively within minutes, engulfing a large section of the bus before fire crews successfully extinguished it.
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Firefighting operations temporarily crippled traffic along the Mumbai-bound carriageway, causing delays for commuters. Normal flow was eventually restored after emergency crews successfully cleared the charred wreckage from the highway.
Moving forward, investigators suspect a short circuit in the dashboard's electrical wiring sparked the blaze.
According to sources, the fire escalated after the bus driver and cleaner were unable to effectively deploy the onboard fire extinguisher. Responding fire crews arrived shortly after being alerted.
Photo Credit: PTI
“Our immediate priority was ensuring all passengers were safely evacuated and preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent vehicles,” a fire officer stated, confirming that crews managed to fully contain the heavy blaze, as per Mid Day.
The luxury bus was traveling along the Sion-Panvel Highway when the driver noticed smoke billowing from the engine, according to fire officer UB Akre of the Vashi fire station. The driver immediately pulled over to the roadside and ordered the passengers to evacuate.
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“Two fire engines and one water bowser were rushed to the scene,” Akre told PTI. “Firefighters battled the blaze for about 30 minutes to bring it under control, after which cooling operations were initiated.”
The luxury bus was entirely destroyed in the incident, and firefighting operations caused temporary gridlock along the Mumbai-bound lanes before the vehicle was cleared and traffic flow returned to normal. A comprehensive investigation is now underway to determine the precise cause and evaluate the vehicle's adherence to fire safety protocols.
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