Mumbai

‘A passing motorist alerted us’: Inside the first minutes of Mumbai’s Coastal Road tunnel fire | Mumbai News


4 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jul 16, 2026 10:18 AM IST

“We were heading towards South Mumbai when a person in a passing vehicle alerted us that something had fallen from our car. I immediately asked my driver to stop. As soon as I got out, I noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. Immediately, my mother and other family members came out. Thankfully, all of us escaped safely,” recalled 60-year-old Sudhir Nair, who was travelling in a Maruti Ignis with three family members, including his elderly mother, on Wednesday afternoon.

Within minutes, flames engulfed the vehicle inside India’s first undersea road tunnel on Mumbai’s Coastal Road, forcing traffic to a halt and triggering an emergency response involving police, firefighters and the tunnel’s automated safety systems.

The cause of the fire is yet to be established. By the time the blaze was extinguished, the Maruti Ignis had been gutted. No injuries were reported.

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The first few minutes

According to police, the family was travelling from Thane to Churchgate when they noticed flames emerging from the engine compartment near the bonnet. “They got scared, immediately stopped the car and alerted the police control room,” an officer said.

As panic spread, several motorists stopped their vehicles inside the tunnel. Nair said strangers were among the first to respond.

“We are safe because of the helping nature of Mumbai’s citizens. Almost everyone stopped their vehicles and rushed to help us. I do not know who informed the police, but they reached the spot within a few minutes and safely escorted us out of the tunnel.”

Police said a patrol vehicle from Gaondevi police station reached the spot within about 10 minutes. “The officers shifted all four family members to the police vehicle and safely evacuated them from the tunnel,” a D.B. Marg police officer said. The family, he added, remained in shock after the incident.

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How the tunnel responded

While the family was being evacuated, the tunnel’s emergency systems had already begun responding.

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According to senior Mumbai Fire Brigade officials, an emergency call reached the Coastal Road control room near Amarsons Junction. At the same time, the tunnel’s linear heat detection system automatically detected the fire and alerted the control room.

“When we received the call, we dispatched a quick response vehicle dedicated to emergencies on the Coastal Road. By the time our personnel reached the spot, the flames were confined to the car,” said Umesh Palande, Divisional Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade.

The fire was reported at 12.25 pm and completely extinguished by 12.44 pm, he said.

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The biggest challenge inside any tunnel fire is smoke. Officials said the tunnel’s Saccardo ventilation system, installed when the Coastal Road opened, quickly forced fresh air into the tunnel while pushing smoke away from the fire site, improving visibility and reducing the risk of suffocation.

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“The tunnel is also equipped with pressurised fire hydrants, which prevented the flames from spreading,” Palande said.

Firefighters said another layer of protection came from the tunnel’s calcium silicate fire boards, which insulate the concrete lining from extreme heat and help prevent structural damage during a fire.

After the fire was extinguished and the burnt vehicle removed, traffic through the tunnel gradually resumed.

Officials said the Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police and the Regional Transport Office will jointly investigate what caused the Maruti Ignis to catch fire.

Nayonika Bose

Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai’s residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)

Specialized Focus: Nayonika’s reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India’s largest metropolitan area.

Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:

Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).

Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).

Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai’s hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.

Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.

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Manish Kumar Pathak

Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
Expertise & Authority

Affiliation: Reports for the nationally recognized daily, The Indian Express, providing his content with high Trustworthiness.

Geographical Focus: Provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of breaking news and investigative matters across Mumbai and the surrounding regions (e.g., Thane, Vasai).

Core Authority: His reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial beats, including:

Cyber & Financial Crime: Extensive coverage of sophisticated scams, including cases involving high-value cyber fraud, stock market manipulation scams, and fraudsters using government figures to gain trust.

Law Enforcement & Investigation: Reports directly on major police actions, including arrests made by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in fraud cases (e.g., MHADA flat scams) and detailed coverage of murder and kidnapping investigations.

Major Incidents & Public Safety: Covers significant incidents like building collapses, road accidents, and public safety issues such as theft at large public events.

Defence & Maritime: Also covers key updates regarding the Indian Navy, including the commissioning of new vessels and strategic defense announcements.

Manish Kumar Pathak’s consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. … Read More

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