Historic turntable ladder fire engine restored, to be unveiled today

Municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani proposed its restoration, which was undertaken with the support of industrialist Gautam Singhania, the BMC said

Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will unveil on Republic Day the restored 89-year-old turntable ladder fire engine which was used during the devastating 1944 dock explosion and several other major fire incidents in the city.

The restoration work was carried out at the Super Car Club Garage by JK Investors (Bombay) Ltd

The fire engine was preserved as a relic at the Mumbai Fire Brigade headquarters in Byculla after it became non-operational. Recognising its historical significance, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani proposed its restoration, which was undertaken with the support of industrialist Gautam Singhania, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a media statement.

Manufactured by Leyland in England in 1937, the turn-table ladder was added to the Mumbai Fire Brigade fleet in 1941 and served as advanced equipment for reaching tall buildings in the port region. The ladder was made entirely of iron and could be turned using simple mechanical means.

The restoration work was carried out at the Super Car Club Garage by JK Investors (Bombay) Ltd. Reviving the decades-old vehicle was challenging, particularly due to the unavailability of original spare parts, the BMC statement said.

The team at JK Investors dug out old technical records, drawings and references and replaced missing components by designing every missing part individually, giving a new lease of life to the historic fire engine.