Panvel, Date:13 june 2023 A near death incident occurred today as a State Transport (ST) bus traveling from Panvel to Mahad met with a severe accident and caught fire. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, and everyone on board was safely evacuated. Around 9:30 in the morning, the tragedy occurred, shocking the commuters.
The tragedy happened close to Karnala Bird Century when the bus, which had between 22 and 23 passengers on board, was travelling to Mahad. The bus abruptly came to a stop, and the conductor quickly helped the passengers get off. Before the fire completely destroyed the bus’ upper deck, the passengers were able to reclaim their possessions.
Despite the swift action taken, a female passenger unfortunately lost money which remained inside the burning bus while she was escaping the accident. While the monetary loss is regrettable, the priority was ensuring the safety of all individuals involved, and thankfully, no casualties were reported.
The Panvel local authorities were immediately alerted, and two fire brigade vehicles from Panvel and CIDCO rushed to the scene for rescue operation. The firefighters diligently worked to extinguish the flames reaching passing vehicles, but by that time, the bus had been reduced to ashes.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of prompt action and fire safety training to bus operators. The authorities and transport agencies must continue to prioritize the safety of passengers, conducting regular checks on fire extinguisher in buses and maintenance to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future.
The exact cause of the accident is not yet found, and a thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain the factors that led to the fire. ST Maha Mandal will also provide necessary support to the affected passengers and assist them in recovering any lost belongings.