A terrifying incident unfolded in Navi Mumbai on Thursday morning when a bus carrying 22 passengers caught fire, leading to a temporary traffic disruption. Fortunately, all passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
The fire broke out on a Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) bus around 10:30 AM at Runwal Chowk, located in the Manpada area along the Kalyan-Shilphata Road. The quick-thinking driver halted the bus immediately, instructed passengers to evacuate, and jumped to safety himself, police officials stated.
Traffic was temporarily halted on both sides of the road as authorities swiftly responded to the emergency. The police, aided by a water tanker, managed to extinguish the flames within 30 minutes. A crane was later brought in to remove the charred remains of the bus and clear the road, allowing normal traffic flow to resume.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Pankaj Shirsat, confirmed that the fire had been controlled quickly and that all safety measures were in place to protect passing vehicles, particularly those carrying flammable substances. In the aftermath, the affected passengers continued their journeys in private vehicles and auto-rickshaws.
The incident, although alarming, ended without harm thanks to the prompt actions of the bus driver and police officers on the scene.
