Mumbai: 10 BEST Buses Gutted In Sion Depot Fire, Safety Questions Mount (WATCH)

A major fire erupted at BEST's Anik bus depot in Mumbai's Sion on Monday evening, reducing 10 parked CNG buses to charred wrecks and damaging two others, triggering a massive emergency response. No injuries were reported in the blaze, while officials said the exact cause of the fire was yet to be determined.

The buses engulfed in the fire were wet-lease midi CNG buses operated by a private contractor. Of the 12 affected buses, nine were new, while three had already been pressed into service, sources said.

BREAKING: Ten public transport BEST buses caught fire in Anik depot, Sion. #Mumbai Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) October 5, 2026

Mumbai - A major fire broke out at the BEST bus depot in the Anik area of Sion, Mumbai, triggering concern at the premises, a BEST bus parked in the depot's parking area caught fire. Thick smoke was reportedly seen rising from the location following the outbreak. Firefighting efforts are currently underway to bring the blaze under control.

- NextMinute News (@nextminutenews7) October 5, 2026

Mumbai Sion Bus Depot Fire Compile Update*

सायन BEST बस डिपो में आग

मुंबई के सायन स्थित अणिक BEST बस डिपो में सोमवार शाम बड़ा हादसा हुआ। डिपो में खड़ी 12 नई CNG मिडी बसें आग की चपेट में आकर जल गईं। आग शाम करीब 5 बजकर 45 मिनट पर लगी। मुंबई फायर ब्रिगेड ने इसे लेवल-1 फायर कॉल घोषित किया। करीब ढाई घंटे की मशक्कत के बाद रात 8 बजकर 20 मिनट पर आग पर पूरी तरह काबू पाया गया।

सायन के अणिक बस डिपो में अचानक आग लगने से हड़कंप मच गया।

डिपो यार्ड में एक साथ खड़ी 12 नई AC CNG मिडी बसें आग की चपेट में आ गईं।

BEST के मुताबिक, ये बसें निजी ऑपरेटर डागा ग्रुप की थीं और BEST के बेड़े में हाल ही में शामिल की जा रही नई बसों का हिस्सा थीं।

आग की सूचना शाम 5 बजकर 44 मिनट पर फायर ब्रिगेड को मिली और 5:54 बजे लेवल-1 फायर कॉल घोषित किया गया। मौके पर फायर ब्रिगेड की कम से कम 4 फायर इंजन और 5 वॉटर टैंकर समेत अन्य दमकल वाहन पहुंचे।

आग इतनी तेज थी कि मौके से काला धुआं काफी दूर तक दिखाई दिया। प्रत्यक्षदर्शियों ने धमाके जैसी आवाजें सुनाई देने का दावा किया। हालांकि, आग लगने की असली वजह अभी स्पष्ट नहीं है और जांच की जा रही है।

फायर ब्रिगेड के मुताबिक आग को रात 8:20 बजे पूरी तरह बुझा दिया गया। हादसे में किसी के घायल होने की सूचना नहीं है।

फिलहाल आग लगने की वजह की जांच जारी है। साथ ही यह भी जांच की जा रही है कि नई CNG बसों में आग किस वजह से लगी और आग इतनी तेजी से दूसरी बसों तक कैसे पहुंची।

#Mumbaifire #busdepot #mumbai #Fire #Best

- Jayprrakash Singh (@jayprakashindia) October 5, 2026

A senior BEST official probing the incident said investigators were examining multiple possibilities, but suspected that combustible material lying near the buses may have caught fire after a spark from an external source. The resulting flames reportedly melted gas pipes, triggering gas leakage and intensifying the blaze.

Thick clouds of smoke billowed from the depot and could be seen from several parts of Mumbai's eastern suburbs, sparking panic among residents and motorists in the vicinity.

The incident has also raised questions over fire-safety preparedness and the manner in which the buses were parked inside the depot. BEST committee member Ramakant Gupta alleged that the buses were parked too close to one another, allowing the flames to spread rapidly. He also questioned why fire extinguishers and sand buckets available at the depot could not be deployed immediately.

“Had the staff reacted promptly, the fire could have been restricted to two or three buses. Drivers could also have moved some of the buses away from the affected area,” he said.

A senior BEST official, however, said moving the buses was not feasible as thick fumes had engulfed the area and the fire spread rapidly. Another official said the intensity of the flames made it impossible for staff to use fire extinguishers, with three to five buses reportedly catching fire simultaneously.

“Amid the heavy plumes of smoke, who would dare take the buses out?” he asked.

The presence of CNG further complicated efforts to contain the blaze.“Once gas catches fire, controlling its spread becomes far more difficult,” said former Mumbai fire brigade officer Rajendra Choudhary.

Another BEST panel member said the incident should be treated as a wake-up call, calling for a standard emergency fire-control protocol, adequate equipment and specialised training across all 27 BEST depots to prevent similar incidents.

Investigators are now probing whether any staff member may have been responsible for triggering the blaze and whether negligence played a role in efforts to contain it.

The fire comes at a particularly difficult time for BEST, which is already operating with an all-time low fleet of around 2,800 buses. Monday's incident was also the eighth fire involving BEST buses since May 3 this year, adding fresh concerns over the safety and preparedness of the city's public transport network.

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