Customised Horn May Have Triggered Coastal Road Tunnel Car Fire, Says Preliminary Report

Mumbai: A customised horn installed in a Maruti Suzuki Ignis may have triggered the fire that engulfed the car inside the southbound Coastal Road tunnel on July 15, according to a preliminary fire brigade report. The final report, expected within the next two days, will establish the exact cause of the blaze, a fire official said.

Vehicle Fire Triggered Panic Inside Tunnel

The incident, one of several vehicle fires reported on Mumbai’s Coastal Road, triggered panic among motorists, with several abandoning their vehicles and fleeing on foot.

“During the preliminary inquiry, we found that the car had a customised horn. The wiring carried out during the modification may have been faulty, causing damage that could have affected other wiring systems, including those connected to the fuel system and engine, potentially triggering the fire,” said Umesh Palande, divisional fire officer, South Zone.

Palande stressed that the findings were preliminary and that the exact cause would be established in the final report, expected next week, possibly by Tuesday.

Tunnel Ventilation System Helped Control Smoke

The tunnel’s Saccardo ventilation system, comprising three heavy-duty fans—two operational and one on standby—also helped disperse the thick smoke by generating high-velocity winds and driving it in either direction.

However, the incident exposed concerns over the accessibility of fire extinguishers inside the tunnel. Though adequate extinguishers are available, many are kept inside boxes beneath the emergency telephones, making them difficult for motorists to locate and access.

“Many people do not know that the boxes need to be opened to take out the extinguishers. We have now asked road officials to remove all extinguishers from the boxes and mount them on the tunnel walls so they are clearly visible to commuters,” Palande said.

Meanwhile, after the incidents the BMC has issued 12-point safety protocol for motorists during emergencies inside the Coastal Road tunnel includes stopping safely, switching off the engine and leaving the keys inside the vehicle; avoiding U-turns or reversing; using the emergency telephones installed every 100 metres; staying calm and following public address announcements; using fire extinguishers if necessary; following directional arrows to the nearest cross passage, opening it with the panic button and walking towards the exit; awaiting emergency response teams; and avoiding returning to the incident site, running or panicking.

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