Mumbai BEST bus accident: Driver lost control, pressed accelerator in panic; death toll climbs to 7

Visuals from the spot (photo:IANS)


A tragic accident occurred when the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) bus lost control and rammed into several vehicles in Mumbai, leaving seven people dead.

The tragic accident occurred on Monday night around 9:50 pm when the BEST bus lost control and rammed into several vehicles over a 100-meter stretch in Mumbai’s Kurla. The death toll in the accident has risen to seven, with 49 others injured, according to fire department officials.

The bus plowed around 30-40 vehicles and ran over pedestrians before crashing into a column of the Solomon Building.

Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande said that the accident was caused by a sudden brake failure. He further added that the bus driver panicked and pressed the accelerator after losing control, crashing vehicles and pedestrians.

“A bus which left from Kurla Station, its brakes failed and the driver lost control of the bus. The driver got scared and instead of pressing the brake, he pressed the accelerator and the speed of the bus increased,” he told reporters.

CM announces ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the deceased. The injured will be treated at the expense of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also said that orders have been given to bear the expenses of the treatment of those injured in this incident on behalf of Mumbai Municipal Corporation and BEST,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.

The BMC, Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) and local police swiftly responded to the incident. Rescue operations continued late into the night, and the injured were shifted to various hospitals across the city.