Mumbai: 25 seconds to escape from a burning car

Two people died in the accident at Sion early on Monday; police say the driver claims he doesn’t remember anything, just that the car began to burn while it was running

CCTV footage of the accident which claimed the lives of two brothers at Sion early on Monday, shows that they and three other occupants of the car had only 25 seconds to escape. Smoke began emanating from the car as soon as it hit the divider, causing a fire and a blast, all of which took place in 25 seconds. The driver of the car has apparently told the Sion police he doesn’t remember anything, just that the car started burning while it was running.

Smoke starts to emanate from its side

The occupants of the car included driver Kunal Attar, 33, Ritesh Bhoir, 25, Ajay Waghela, 21, Harsh Kadam, 19 and Pravin alias Prem Waghela, 18. The Waghela brothers died in the accident. In the wee hours of Monday, the car hit a divider in front of Ganga-Vihar Hotel, Sion (east). The five friends travelling in it, had left Mankhurd at 11.30 pm and gone to a bar at Ghatkopar and decided to go to Marine Drive. The vehicle met with the accident after descending the Sion flyover.

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CCTV footage accessed by mid-day reveals what exactly happened. The CCTV shows the speeding car hitting the divider at 4.07 am and within 15 seconds smoke starts emanating   from its left side. After exactly 10 seconds a massive blast occurs, engulfing the vehicle in a fire. “The occupants of the car hardly had any time. After the crash, the driver, Attar, and Bhoir got out of the car. They tried to take Kadam out but due to the smoke and the crushed car it was a struggle. But just before the blast they brought him out,” said an officer from Sion police station. Kadam has sustained 70% burns and is in Sion hospital.

There is a blast in the car

Cops revealed the CNG cylinder of the car is intact. “We are awaiting the reports of the Fire Brigade and RTO to know the exact reason behind the blast,” said another police officer. Attar was arrested by Sion police on Tuesday after he was discharged from the hospital. He sustained injuries on his chin. He has been booked under IPC sections 279 (rash driving), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and other sections of Motor Vehicle Act 1988. He will be produced in the court on Wednesday. “He doesn’t remember anything, but said all he remembers is that the car caught fire while it was running. According to the primary investigation, the driver must have dozed off, and the car turned towards the right and went almost onto the opposite lane,” said another officer.

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