Narrow escape for 26 passengers as minibus catches fire near Bhimashankar

Passengers were asked to alight after the minibus was parked by roadside before the police and fire brigade were alerted

A tourist minibus on its way to Bhimashankar caught fire due to short circuit in engine on Ghodegaon-Bhimashankar road at 6:30 am on Wednesday, police officials said. The incident came barely a few days after a Mumbai-bound sleeper coach bus from Yavatmal caught fire at Nashik, killing 12 and injuring 41 others.

A tourist mini bus on its way to Bhimashankar caught fire due to short circuit in engine at 6:30 am on Ghodegaon - Bhimashankar road on Wednesday. (HT PHOTO)

In the latest incident, the 27 passengers, including the driver on board, escaped without injuries when the driver of another state transport bus passing from the same stretch alerted the minibus driver in which passengers mostly from Thane district were heading for a temple at Bhimashankar.

The incident occurred near Shindewadi village. Jivan Mane, senior inspector, Ghodegaon police station in Pune rural area, confirmed that all passengers were safe.

Following the incident, a fire brigade team was called and Bhimashankar-bound traffic was closed for over an hour. The traffic movement was restored to normalcy by 8 am, officials said.

According to residents of Paye village located in Bhiwandi tehsil of Thane district, the tourist minibus was hired for darshan at various temples, including Bhimashankar and Ashtavinayak Ganpatis. On Tuesday night, at around 11:30 pm, they started their journey towards Bhimashankar.

Passengers were asked to alight after the minibus was parked by roadside before the police and fire brigade were alerted.

Mane said, “We shifted passengers by police van to Sharada Math and they will resume their journey after arranging a bus. All passengers, including 23 women and three men, and the driver are safe.”