Mumbai: An electric AC double-decker bus caught fire and got damaged at Kurla depot on Sunday around 4pm, triggering concern over the safety of the city’s limited fleet of twin-deckers. The staff used 10-15 fire extinguishers to control the situation before fire brigade personnel from BKC arrived and doused the blaze at 6.15pm. No injuries were reported. The BEST said the bus had been withdrawn from service on May 1 due to a technical fault.According to an official, the blaze was caused by a ‘thermal incident’, while the bus was parked inside the depot for maintenance by Switch Mobility, the private contractor for e-double deckers. “The exact cause will be ascertained after technical inspection by Switch Mobility, BEST technical team and fire brigade/safety authorities,” he said.While there will be an internal probe, BEST management on Sunday issued directives such as obtaining a detailed incident report from Switch Mobility, conducting joint technical inspections of the bus, reviewing safety precautions for similar buses under maintenance and ensuring that no bus is released for operations without due safety verification.When TOI contacted Switch Mobility, an official said: “We are aware of a thermal incident involving one of the double decker buses at the BEST Kurla depot. The bus was at the depot for servicing at the time. The situation was promptly brought under control. We are currently investigating the matter.”*According to fire brigade officials, the bus was stationary at the depot from April 30. “After the battery got discharged, they recharged it back to about 90% at the depot. However, subsequently, they were unable to start the vehicle and it was not in operation for the last few days. Today, the bus caught fire immediately after smoke originated from the battery,” said a civic official.Officials said the incident has once again drawn attention to the risks linked to electric bus battery systems, especially during summer. Sources said that ‘thermal incidents’ in electric buses are considered serious safety events, often associated with thermal runaway, a condition in which heat rapidly builds up inside the battery system and can lead to fire or explosive failure.The incident is particularly significant because Mumbai has only around 50 double-decker buses in operation. Transport observers said even one bus going off the roads can affect daily commuters. A double-decker can carry 70 to 80 passengers, easing pressure on bus stops and offering greater capacity than standard buses. BEST committee member Sunil Ganacharya said the city urgently needs more double-deckers, making this loss especially worrying.
