NMMT recalls all JBM-make buses for inspection after fire incidents

Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI) The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) has recalled all electric air-conditioned buses manufactured by JBM from service "as a precautionary measure" following two fire incidents reported since Wednesday morning, officials said.

NMMT on Wednesday night stated that all JBM-manufactured electric buses that had already departed were recalled to the depot for inspection.

"This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure for passenger safety in the light of an unexpected incident that occurred on June 4," the statement said. The authority added that a decision on redeploying the buses would be taken after the inspection is completed.

The first incident occurred at the Ghansoli depot, where a JBM electric bus and three diesel-run buses were gutted in a fire.

The electric bus, scheduled for maintenance, caught fire inside the depot workshop due to a short circuit.

According to NMMT, the bus was awaiting repairs, and responsibility for its upkeep—including parts and technical maintenance—lay with the manufacturer and supplier, M/s M.H. Eco Life and JBM, along with the contractor's technical staff and a junior engineer from the undertaking.

"A defect report citing IR (Insulation Resistance) failure was noted by the technical staff and junior engineer. This failure led to a short circuit in one of the bus's four sealed battery packs, causing a sudden and massive fire," the NMMT said.

Although depot staff attempted to control the blaze with available fire extinguishers, the sealed nature of the battery packs caused the fire to escalate rapidly. The flames subsequently spread to three nearby diesel buses parked for maintenance.

The second fire incident occurred in the evening at the Marol bus depot in Andheri East. An NMMT electric bus operating on Route 144 between Airoli (Navi Mumbai) and Andheri (Mumbai) caught fire on MIDC Road around 6 PM.

According to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official, all passengers were safely evacuated.

Two fire engines from the Mumbai Fire Brigade responded quickly and doused the flames within minutes. The cause of this second fire is yet to be determined, but the bus was completely gutted. PTI KK COR DC NSK