Massive tragedy averted as Bengaluru-Rajkot luxury bus catches fire near Vashi Bridge
A major tragedy was averted in Navi Mumbai after a luxury bus travelling from Bengaluru to Rajkot caught fire near the Vashi Bridge in the early hours of Sunday. All 20 passengers onboard escaped safely before the flames engulfed the vehicle.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 2:10 am on the Mumbai-bound lane near the entrance of the Vashi Bridge along the Sion-Panvel Highway. Eyewitnesses reported that smoke first emerged from the electrical wiring near the dashboard before sparks triggered a fire inside the driver’s cabin.
The flames spread rapidly through the bus within minutes, completely gutting the luxury vehicle before firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control.
Officials suspect that a short circuit in the dashboard wiring may have caused the fire. Sources said the bus driver and cleaner initially attempted to use the onboard fire extinguisher, but were unable to contain the flames.
Fire officer UB Akre from the Vashi fire station said the driver noticed smoke coming from the engine area and immediately stopped the bus by the roadside before evacuating passengers.
“Two fire engines and one water bowser were rushed to the spot. Firefighters battled the blaze for around 30 minutes before bringing it under control,” the official said.
The fire led to temporary traffic congestion on the Mumbai-bound carriageway as emergency services carried out firefighting and cooling operations. Traffic movement returned to normal after the burnt vehicle was removed from the road.
Officials confirmed that no injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. Authorities have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and examine whether the vehicle complied with mandatory fire safety measures.
