Car Catches Fire Inside Mumbai's Coastal Road Tunnel, Family Escapes Safely

A family's journey through Mumbai's Coastal Road came to a frightening halt on Wednesday after their car caught fire inside India's first undersea road tunnel, prompting a swift emergency response and temporary disruption to traffic. The incident occurred when a Maruti Ignis carrying four family members, including an elderly woman, developed a fire while travelling towards South Mumbai. All occupants managed to escape safely before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

According to 60-year-old Sudhir Nair, the family was alerted by a passing motorist who informed them that something had fallen from their vehicle. Acting immediately, Nair asked the driver to stop the car. After stepping out, he noticed smoke rising from the vehicle and quickly instructed his family members, including his elderly mother, to exit. Within minutes, the fire spread rapidly, consuming the car inside the tunnel.

The blaze triggered an immediate emergency response involving Mumbai Police, the Mumbai Fire Brigade and tunnel management personnel. Authorities temporarily halted traffic through the tunnel while firefighters worked to extinguish the flames and ensure the safety of motorists. The incident also activated the tunnel's emergency systems, including its ventilation infrastructure, which was used to manage the smoke and maintain visibility during the rescue operation.

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Officials removed the burnt vehicle from the tunnel after the fire was brought under control. The coordinated response helped prevent injuries and limited the disruption to traffic, allowing authorities to reopen the tunnel in less than an hour after completing safety checks. No casualties were reported, and the occupants of the vehicle escaped without harm.

The Mumbai Coastal Road tunnel, part of the Dharamveer Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Coastal Road Project, is India's first undersea road tunnel and is equipped with advanced safety features, including emergency communication systems, surveillance cameras, fire detection equipment and a specialised ventilation system designed to manage smoke during emergencies. These systems played a crucial role in supporting the response to the incident.

Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the fire to determine whether it resulted from a mechanical fault or another technical issue. The incident has highlighted both the importance of motorists remaining alert to warning signs while driving and the effectiveness of the tunnel's emergency preparedness systems. Officials have reiterated that regular maintenance of vehicles and adherence to safety protocols remain essential for preventing similar incidents on high-speed urban road corridors.

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