MUMBAI, July 15, 2026: Today at approx. 12.30pm, there was a fire that broke out on the coastal road in Mumbai; people left their cars and ran towards exit points. Around a thousand cars remain stuck.
Viren Shah, President of ‘ Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA), shared his experiences of the incident.
Shah explained the things in detail. Below is the written statement from him.
Today, I had one of the most frightening experiences of my life while driving on my daily route from NSCI, Worli to my office at Roopam on Marine Drive through the Coastal Road tunnel.
A few hundred feet ahead of my car, I suddenly saw flames stretching from one side of the tunnel to the other, appearing to move towards the line of vehicles, including mine. Within seconds, traffic came to a complete standstill.
Before I could even react, I saw people abandoning their cars and running back towards the Worli side of the tunnel. There were screams, panic, and complete chaos. Realising the seriousness of the situation, I too left my car and started running. I must have run nearly a kilometre before reaching an exit and eventually made my way safely back to my office.
The entire experience felt like a scene straight out of a Hollywood disaster movie. Watching flames ahead and hundreds of people trying to escape in fear is something I will never forget.
I sincerely pray that there has been no loss of human life. Property can always be replaced, but every human life is precious.
This incident also raises some very serious questions. In the event of a fire or any emergency inside a tunnel:
●Do motorists know where the nearest emergency exit is?
●Are the exits clearly visible and adequately marked?
●What is the safest way to escape smoke and suffocation?
●What emergency procedures should the public follow during such incidents?
The Maharashtra Government should consider strengthening emergency preparedness inside tunnel infrastructure by installing more prominent safety signage, clear evacuation directions, public awareness information, and conducting periodic emergency preparedness campaigns so that commuters know exactly what to do if such an incident occurs.
Today, I survived. Many others did too. But this incident is a reminder that preparedness can save lives.
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