Panic gripped commuters on Wednesday after a moving car caught fire inside the northbound tunnel of Mumbai's Coastal Road on the Haji Ali–Worli carriageway, forcing authorities to temporarily shut the tunnel and causing massive traffic snarls across South Mumbai. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported in the incident.
According to the Mumbai Fire Brigade, an emergency call was received at around 12.25 pm, following which firefighters, police personnel and a 108 ambulance were rushed to the scene. Videos circulating on social media showed thick smoke filling the tunnel as frightened commuters abandoned their vehicles and ran towards the nearest exit for safety.
The affected stretch of the Coastal Road was immediately closed to traffic to allow emergency teams to extinguish the blaze and ensure the area was safe. The closure led to long queues of vehicles inside the tunnel and severe congestion on adjoining roads across South Mumbai. Motorists were advised to avoid the route and use alternate roads until traffic was restored.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as chaotic, with flames quickly engulfing the vehicle before emergency responders brought the fire under control. Authorities have not yet confirmed what caused the car to catch fire, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact reason behind the incident.
The incident has once again raised questions about emergency preparedness and evacuation measures inside Mumbai's Coastal Road tunnels. While the swift response prevented injuries, commuters have called for regular safety drills and enhanced fire-response systems to ensure better preparedness for similar emergencies in the future.
