According to preliminary information, the incident was reported to the Mumbai Fire Brigade control room at 12:25 pm on July 15. The vehicle caught fire while travelling through the tunnel lane connecting Haji Ali to Worli. Emergency teams, including personnel from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police authorities, and a 108 ambulance service, were immediately dispatched to the location to tackle the fire and assist affected commuters.
The fire led to heavy traffic congestion inside and around the Mumbai Coastal Road, disrupting vehicular movement on one of the city's key transport corridors. Authorities temporarily closed the affected stretch of the Coastal Road while emergency personnel worked to extinguish the blaze and remove the damaged vehicle from the tunnel.
By 1:30 pm, the situation had been brought under control. Traffic on both the southbound and northbound carriageways resumed after the fire was extinguished and the burnt vehicle was removed from the tunnel.
According to the Tardeo Traffic Police, the fire involving a vehicle at CP 5 on the southbound Coastal Road was successfully extinguished with the assistance of the Mumbai Fire Brigade. The charred vehicle was subsequently removed from the tunnel using a crane, allowing authorities to reopen the route.
"Traffic on both the southbound and northbound carriageways has been reopened, and efforts are underway to restore normal traffic flow," the Tardeo Traffic Police said in an official statement.
The incident created panic among commuters, with several people reportedly abandoning their vehicles and running towards the tunnel exits to ensure their safety. The incident also raised serious concerns among motorists, who alleged that the tunnel lacked clear emergency signage and guidance during the crisis.
Eyewitness Viren Shah, President of the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association, described the frightening moments inside the tunnel. "There was a massive fire involving a vehicle inside the tunnel. I could see hundreds of cars stuck. People were leaving their cars and running towards the exit," he said.
I have never experienced anything like it. Entered the Coastal Road tunnel from Worli and in a couple of minutes saw 100s of people running towards us. Asked one person and he said “aage aag lagi hai”.
— Shaunak Modi (@Pugdandee) July 15, 2026
I’m not sure what was on fire or if there even was one, but many people just… pic.twitter.com/W3vnWb1g41
Shah added that the exact cause of the fire was unclear during the incident. "We could not figure out whether the fire had started inside the vehicle or if an external source had caused it. Our first priority was to save ourselves," he said.
Another eyewitness shared the experience on X, describing the situation as unlike anything previously witnessed. "I've never experienced anything like this before. Just minutes after entering the Coastal Road tunnel from Worli, I saw hundreds of people running towards us," the user wrote.
The temporary closure of the affected section of the Mumbai Coastal Road resulted in severe traffic congestion across several major routes in South Mumbai. Commuters travelling through Marine Drive, Nariman Point, Churchgate, Marine Lines, P D'Mello Road, Peddar Road, Haji Ali, and Worli experienced significant delays as traffic was diverted and emergency operations continued.
The incident highlighted the importance of rapid emergency response inside critical urban infrastructure while also raising fresh concerns about emergency preparedness, commuter guidance, and safety measures within the Mumbai Coastal Road tunnel. Although the fire was brought under control without further disruption by early afternoon, the incident left motorists shaken and underscored the need for effective emergency management in high-traffic transport corridors.
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