Overview

• The fire erupted around 3:25 pm in the driver’s cabin of a CNG-run BEST bus leased from Maruti Travels on Route 397 in Vikhroli
• The driver and conductor deployed the onboard extinguisher to evacuate all passengers safely before the Mumbai Fire Brigade arrived to fully extinguish the flames
• BEST officials suspect a short circuit in the wiring triggered the blaze and have launched a formal investigation into its cause
• This marks the second bus fire in BEST’s fleet this month, following an electric double-decker blaze near Azad Maidan on July 15
• The incident raises fresh concerns about fire-safety compliance in BEST’s predominantly leased fleet during ongoing expansion and depot redevelopment efforts