Mumbai, Apr 17 (PTI) An electric BEST bus caught fire late Thursday night near Churchgate station in south Mumbai, though no one was hurt in the incident, a civic official said.

The incident took place at 9:50pm outside platform number 4 of Churchgate station on Maharshi Karve road and the blaze was doused some time later after four fire engines and other fire brigade vehicles were deployed, he said.

The fire was triggered by short circuit in the battery section of the bus, the official informed.

“No one was hurt in the incident. BEST bus MH-01 DR 1327 was moving towards J Mehta road on route number 121. All eight passengers as well as driver and conductor were evacuated safely immediately after the driver noticed a smell emanating from his cabin. The bus was gutted in the fire,” he said.

The bus was on wet lease from a private operator, he added.

Meanwhile, railway officials said trains were operated from platforms number 1,2 and 3 during the fire as a precautionary measure.

After the blaze was put out at 10:31pm, trains were operated from platform number 4, they added.

In another incident, a BEST e-bus rammed into a road divider in Anand Nagar in neighbouring Thane district, leaving a few passengers injured.

“The mishap took place at 8:15pm after the driver lost control of the wet leased vehicle. The bus was on route number 700 from Magathane depot in Borivali East to Thane East. The doors of the vehicle got jammed on impact and passengers had to alight after breaking a window,” a BEST spokesperson said.

BEST undertaking is the second largest public transport body in the metropolis. With a fleet of 2900 buses, it ferries over 30 lakh passengers daily. PTI KK BNM