Panic Inside Metro as Smoke Enters Coach After Bus Catches Fire Near Devipada Station

Mumbai, June 25: A private bus caught fire near Devipada Metro Station on the Western Express Highway in Borivali on Tuesday afternoon, leading to panic among commuters inside a Mumbai Metro train on the Red Line after smoke briefly entered a coach.

The incident occurred as the bus, reportedly empty at the time, suddenly caught fire on the road directly below the elevated metro station. Flames and thick black smoke rose from the vehicle just as a metro train arrived at the station. A video shared on social media by commuter Yogesh Namjoshi captured the chaos inside a smoke-filled coach, showing alarmed passengers struggling to understand the situation.

“There were no announcements and the smoke inside was getting thicker before the doors finally closed again,” Namjoshi posted on X (formerly Twitter). The visuals, now widely circulated online, show visibly distressed passengers looking for clarity and direction.

While the cause of the bus fire remains under investigation, preliminary reports suggest no foul play or damage to metro infrastructure. Fire brigade officials and metro staff responded promptly and extinguished the blaze before it could escalate.

In an official statement, Maha Mumbai Metro Operations acknowledged the incident and apologized for the inconvenience caused. “A private bus on the road below Devipada station caught fire today in the afternoon. Metro staff and the fire brigade responded swiftly and brought the situation under control,” the statement read.

Explaining the situation further, the agency noted that due to the open design of Devipada station, smoke briefly reached the platform and entered one of the coaches when the train doors opened. “However, there was no fire or hazard inside the train itself. The situation was managed at the next station, and metro services continued safely and uninterrupted,” it clarified.

No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. Metro operations remained unaffected, but the event has raised concerns over safety protocols during external emergencies near elevated transit stations.