Wet-lease BEST bus catches fire in Chembur, no one injured

A wet-lease BEST bus operating from Deonar depot caught fire following a suspected short circuit in its battery box in Chembur on Sunday morning, officials said. No passengers or staff were injured in the incident.

The incident took place around 8am near Ram Mandir in Chembur Colony, when the bus, operating on route A-364 from Mahul Gaon towards Trombay, developed a fault while in service.

According to officials, the driver noticed smoke coming from beneath the driver’s cabin and immediately brought the bus to a halt. On inspecting the vehicle, he noticed sparks from the battery box, which subsequently triggered a fire.

The driver used all three fire extinguishers available on the bus and managed to put out the flames by around 8.15am. Passengers also alerted the fire brigade, following which a fire engine reached the spot. By then, however, the fire had already been extinguished.

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Fire brigade personnel disconnected the battery connection and removed the battery from the bus as a precautionary measure.

BEST mechanics and personnel from the private contractor operating the wet-lease bus were subsequently deployed at the site. The damaged vehicle was later towed to Deonar depot for detailed inspection and necessary repairs.

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The bus was operated under the wet-lease arrangement by SMTATPL. The incident comes amid growing concerns over the maintenance and safety of wet-lease buses operated by the city’s public transport undertaking.

Officials are expected to examine the battery and electrical systems to determine the exact cause of the short circuit and ascertain whether any maintenance-related issue contributed to the incident.