Marine Drive Blaze: Two Cars Catch Fire After Collision Near Air India Building, No Injuries Reported
Marine Drive Blaze: Two Cars Catch Fire After Collision Near Air India Building, No Injuries Reported
Chaos gripped Mumbai’s Marine Drive on Friday evening when a sudden collision between a taxi and an SUV led to both vehicles catching fire, bringing traffic to a standstill during the city’s busy peak hours. Authorities confirmed that, despite the dramatic scene, no one was injured in the incident. The crash occurred close to the Air India building junction around 7:45–7:57 PM, a time when the stretch is usually packed with office-goers heading home.
According to reports from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the accident was first reported at 7:57 PM. Witnesses said the fire erupted moments after the taxi rammed into the SUV from behind amid heavy traffic.
Sanjay Mitra, an eyewitness who works in a nearby building, described the frightening moments: “After the taxi hit the SUV, flames suddenly started coming out from its engine. While both drivers were arguing, the fire spread quickly to the SUV.”
The sight of the burning vehicles caused panic among commuters and pedestrians, forcing traffic on both sides of Marine Drive to halt completely. Within 20 minutes, two fire engines from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) arrived at the scene and immediately began firefighting operations. Mumbai Police officers were also deployed to manage the crowd and restore order.
MFB officials said the fire was confined to the two vehicles and was brought under control swiftly. The taxi, identified as a Santro cab, was completely gutted, while the SUV sustained partial damage. Fortunately, both drivers managed to escape unhurt before the fire intensified.
Due to the incident, traffic movement along the popular seafront stretch was disrupted for nearly 30 to 45 minutes. Later, a crane was brought in to remove the charred vehicles from the road, allowing normal traffic flow to resume. Investigations have been launched by the Marine Drive Police to determine the cause of the collision and subsequent fire.
