Car Fire in Coastal Road Tunnel at Breach Candy Triggers Emergency Response
At 12:08 PM on July 15, a car caught fire inside the southbound tunnel of the Coastal Road at Breach Candy, triggering emergency detection systems and a multi-agency response from the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
The fire was brought under control with zero casualties, making it the largest emergency handled by the control centre since it became operational in October 2025. An alert flashed across the facility's 30x6-foot video wall as CCTV cameras zoomed in on the burning vehicle. The tunnel's Linear Heat Detection System—an optical cable that triggers an alarm when temperatures exceed roughly 60 degrees Celsius—confirmed the heat rise alongside an emergency call from a tunnel call box.
Located at the edge of the Coastal Road interchange at Breach Candy, the ICCC serves as the central command point integrating traffic, ventilation, firefighting, and surveillance systems. The facility is staffed round the clock by more than 100 personnel per shift, including representatives from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), police, traffic police, and fire services.
Upon confirming the alert, operators made public announcements in Marathi, Hindi, and English instructing motorists to remain calm and move toward the nearest cross-passage. The tunnel's Saccardo ventilation system, consisting of three reversible axial fans operated by Tap Turbo Engineers, switched into emergency mode to extract smoke away from evacuation routes.
While automated safety systems performed as designed, authorities reported that human panic created serious operational obstacles. Trapped motorists ignored repeated instructions to keep emergency lanes clear, with some drivers abandoning their vehicles or attempting U-turns and reversing, which blocked incoming fire engines and rescue vehicles.
Coastal Road Chief Engineer M. Swami stated that the delay in reaching the site occurred solely due to motorist panic rather than equipment failure. In response, authorities have installed additional signage on evacuation procedures to educate drivers on keeping emergency lanes clear and evacuating through cross-passages during underground emergencies.
