BEST bus catches fire after head-on collision with private bus in Mulund, driver hurt

The damaged private travel operators bus. Pic/A Gupta

A wet-leased BEST bus caught fire after a private travel operator's bus coming from the opposite direction rammed into it near Ralli Wolf bus stop on LBS Road in Mulund West early on Sunday morning, leaving the BEST driver injured.

The accident occurred around 5.50 am when BEST bus no. 7715, operating on Route 496 from SEEPZ to Teen Hath Naka, was passing through the area where traffic has been diverted to one-way movement because of ongoing Mumbai Metro construction work.

Head-on impact

The private bus operated by Mateshwari Urban Transport Solutions Pvt Ltd, bearing registration MH-09-FL-1044, collided head-on with the BEST bus. The impact injured BEST driver Sandeep Namdev Karande, 40, in the abdomen and right leg. Karande was taken to Agarwal Hospital in Mulund for treatment and subsequently discharged. He has been advised to undergo a sonography examination and report back with the results.

Swift action

The collision also triggered a fire in the bonnet of the BEST bus, which was quickly doused by the bus conductor with the help of the fire extinguisher kept on board the bus. He managed to put out the flames before the fire brigade arrived.

Bus being inspected

The damaged BEST bus was towed to Mulund Depot and kept there for inspection by the Engineering Department. A Station Diary Entry was registered at Mulund police station against the driver of the private bus involved in the accident. BEST traffic and accident officials were deployed at the spot following the crash.