Electric MSRTC Shivai bus catches fire near Swargate in Pune, all 17 passengers escape unhurt

An electric bus of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) went up in flames on a Pune road on Monday, October 26, 2026. All 17 people on board got out safely, and no one was hurt.

The fully electric, air-conditioned Shivai bus was running from Seven Loves Chowk towards Swargate when smoke and flames began to rise from the vehicle. The fire broke out near Apollo Hospital. The driver noticed the smoke, steered the bus to the side of the road and stopped it, so that the passengers could step off before the blaze grew.

Fire brigade teams reached the spot soon after being alerted and doused the burning bus with water. Police personnel also arrived. They managed the crowd that gathered and tried to keep traffic moving around the stretch affected by the fire. Residents and passers-by came to the site as word of the fire spread, and some of them helped with the rescue effort. Vehicles on the road were held up for a while as the firefighting went on and the area was secured.

The cause of the fire has not been established. A short circuit is suspected, but this has not been confirmed. Because the driver acted quickly and the passengers left the bus without delay, everyone escaped unhurt.

The incident has once again raised concern over the safety and maintenance of electric buses on the city's roads.