Santro Crashes Into 63-Lakh Jeep Cherokee, Both Burn Down
News of cars and SUVs catching fire are becoming increasingly common these days. The latest such case is from Mumbai, where a Hyundai Santro plying as a cab, collided into a Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, eventually setting both vehicles ablaze. The Grand Cherokee is, in fact, Jeep’s flagship luxury SUV that has an ex-showroom starting price of Rs 63 lakh. Officials maintained that no people were injured in this mishap.
This unfortunate incident took place on Friday evening (November 7th) at Marine Drive. At around 7:45 PM, the Santro (kaali peeli) crashed into the rear of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, near the Air India building (Air India Chowk) and the Trident hotel.
The drivers of both vehicles got out and started arguing with each other. Soon after the crash, fire burst out in the Santro. As the two drivers continued to argue, it spread to more places inside the hatchback. It reached the Jeep SUV in no time.
People soon informed the fire brigade and authorities. Officials from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) rushed to the scene and worked hard to bring things under control. Two fire trucks were deployed to put out the flames completely. The fire in this case, could be contained within a few minutes- proof of MFB’s proactive response and efficiency. Mumbai police too played a key role in controlling the situation.
Image Source: Free Press Journal
Official statements from authorities confirmed that the fire here remained confined to just the two vehicles. This incident took place during peak traffic hours. Luckily, no other vehicle was reportedly affected by the blaze.
As can be seen in the videos and photos of the aftermath, the Santro was charred almost completely. The Grand Cherokee, on the other hand, took relatively less damage. The impact and the subsequent fire disfigured its rear end, while the front fascia can be seen completely unaffected in the videos.
One of the clips even shows the Cherokees’ hazard lamps functioning after the fire was completely put out. The fire seems to have spread to the B-pillar.
The Marine Drive Police have registered a case around the same and the investigation is known to be underway. We hope to learn the actual cause of this accident (and fire) in the coming weeks.
Image Source: Free Press Journal
At the time of writing, it is unclear if the Santro in this case, was running on CNG. It sure remains a possibility as CNG is a common find and the preferred choice of fuel on small cars plying as cabs. Aftermarket CNG fitments (conversions) and improper maintenance can put the vehicle and its occupants at risk of fire, in cases like this. The police investigation will likely uncover such details.
The incident brought traffic on this busy stretch to a complete halt for some time. Vehicles on both carriageways along Marine Drive were affected. This road witnesses the peak traffic between 5:00pm and 8:00pm. This is the time when most employees go home from work. This incident thus disrupted the schedules of many. Traffic reportedly stood still for 35-40 minutes!
After dousing the fire completely, the burnt vehicles were removed with the help of a crane, restoring traffic on this road.
Detailing the unfortunate incident, Traffic Police Inspector Nilesh Waje told ANI: "Around 7:45 pm, near the Air India Junction, a taxi collided with a car, causing both the car and the taxi to catch fire... There were no injuries in the incident. The fire department arrived at the scene and brought the fire under control."