Luxury bus catches fire on Thane highway, all 25 passengers safe

An auto driver, who first noticed the burning tyre, overtook the bus to inform the driver. The driver, in turn immediately stopped the vehicle, alerted the conductor and the bus passengers who managed to escape without any injuries.

A luxury non-airconditioned bus, going to Pune from Ahmedabad, caught fire on the Thane-Ghodbunder Road, off Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway just as it crossed a toll collection point at around 6:45am on Friday morning. None of the 25 passengers or the bus crew were injured in the incident.

Fire brigade officers dousing the luxury bus which got gutted after a rear tyre caught fire, Jan 17, 2020. (HT Photo)

One of the rear tyres of the Amreli-registered bus first caught fire which then spread to the rest of the vehicle, said a Kashimira police official.

An auto driver, who first noticed the burning tyre, overtook the bus to inform the driver who immediately stopped the vehicle, alerted the conductor and the bus passengers who managed to escape without any injuries. According to a police official, most of the passengers were fast asleep when the incident happened. The entire luggage compartment was gutted in the fire.

Though the auto driver tried to douse the fire using a portable extinguisher, it spread further. However, informed by locals from the area, the Mira Bhayander fire brigade soon reached the spot and brought the fire under control in around 40 minutes.

There was huge morning traffic jam in the area due to the fire which was later cleared, said a Kashimira police official.