In the second bus fire near Mumbai within 12 hours, a driver’s quick thinking saved 14 passengers after he spotted smoke, pulled the bus over and evacuated everyone on board.

The driver, identified by police as Chhatrapal Singh Kishor Singh Vahia, noticed the smoke in time and acted without hesitation — getting all 14 passengers off the vehicle before the fire could spread.

A narrow escape

Bus fires can turn catastrophic in minutes, with flames and toxic smoke engulfing a vehicle far faster than passengers can react. That all 14 people were evacuated safely is being credited entirely to the driver’s alertness.

Police and fire officials reached the spot after the evacuation, and the blaze was brought under control. No casualties were reported.

Two fires in 12 hours

The incident is the second bus fire in the Mumbai region within a span of just 12 hours — a coincidence that has raised uncomfortable questions about vehicle maintenance and fire safety standards in public and private bus fleets.

Transport safety experts have repeatedly flagged poor maintenance, ageing wiring and missing or non-functional fire extinguishers as common factors in bus fires across India.

Questions for operators

Two fires in half a day in the same region is unlikely to be dismissed as bad luck. The incidents are expected to prompt scrutiny of the buses involved — their maintenance records, fire-safety equipment and fitness certifications.

For passengers, the episode is a sobering reminder to note emergency exits and extinguishers when boarding — and for operators, that maintenance is not optional.