Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s tempo catches fire in Thane; none injured

A tempo, contracted by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to measure air and sound pollution at Metrorail construction sites in Thane district, caught fire in Thane on Friday afternoon; no casualties were reported in the incident

A tempo, contracted by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to measure air and sound pollution at Metrorail construction sites in Thane district, caught fire in Thane on Friday afternoon. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The charred remains of the tempo contracted to Maharashtra Pollution Control Board that caught fire in Thane on Friday. (PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO)

According to Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) officials, the vehicle was registered to Skylabs Pvt Ltd, a private laboratory working with the MPCB.

“The vehicle, which is basically a tempo fitted with pollution measuring equipment, was on its way from Mira Road to Thane when the incident occurred. It was idling at the Nagla Bunder signal when smoke started coming out of it. The driver and three passengers immediately vacated the vehicle just as it burst into flames,” DCP (Traffic), Balasaheb Patil, Thane City, said.

Motorists who witnessed the incident immediately reported it to the Thane Fire Brigade and a fire tender, a rescue vehicle and a Hydra vehicle was rushed to the spot. The fire was doused within an hour although the vehicle sustained severe damage. No one was injured in the fire, officials said.