A parked double-decker electric bus was completely gutted after a fire broke out inside the BEST depot in Mumbai’s Kurla area on Sunday afternoon, officials confirmed. The incident occurred while the vehicle was undergoing servicing, and fortunately, no injuries were reported as the bus was unoccupied at the time.According to preliminary information from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the blaze erupted inside the Kurla BEST bus depot near Kanakia Building. Smoke was first noticed coming from the electric bus at around 3:55 pm in the basement parking area of the depot, prompting an immediate emergency response from staff present on site.

BEST officials stated that the bus had been withdrawn from service on May 1 after developing a technical fault and was brought to the depot for repairs. At the time of the incident, the vehicle was undergoing maintenance work. Depot staff initially attempted to control the fire using around 10 to 15 fire extinguishers available on site, but the flames intensified rapidly and engulfed the bus.

The fire brigade and bus control room were alerted at approximately 4:10 pm, following which five fire tenders were dispatched to the location. Firefighting teams managed to bring the blaze under control after a prolonged operation, finally dousing it completely by 6:15 pm. Officials confirmed that the situation was contained before it could spread to other vehicles or parts of the depot.

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A BEST spokesperson noted that no authorised representatives from Switch Mobility, the company that supplies the electric double-decker buses, were present at the depot when the fire broke out. A company official reportedly arrived at the site later in the afternoon to assess the situation. As a precaution, depot operations were temporarily halted, causing disruptions to bus services in the area.The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking currently operates a fleet of around 2,700 buses, including 50 electric double-decker buses supplied by Switch Mobility. Officials said the affected bus was part of this electric fleet and was undergoing servicing when the incident occurred.

In an official statement, Switch Mobility acknowledged the incident, describing it as a “thermal event” involving one of its double-decker buses at the Kurla depot. The company confirmed that the bus was under maintenance at the time and said that the situation was quickly brought under control with no reported injuries.Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire, with initial focus likely to be on possible electrical or thermal malfunction in the bus system. Further technical assessment is expected to follow as part of the inquiry.

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