{
  "id": 12718949,
  "title": "BEST Orders 2-Ft Gap Between Buses After 12 Vehicles Gutted In Anik Depot Fire",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/best-orders-2-ft-gap-between-buses-after-12-vehicles-gutted-in-anik",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-07T21:21:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/best-orders-2-ft-gap-between-buses-after-12-vehicles-gutted-in-anik-depot-fire"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On October 7, 2026, Mumbai's BEST Undertaking announced a new policy mandating at least a two-foot gap between buses parked at its depots, following a devastating fire at the Anik depot that destroyed 12 CNG buses. The fire, which broke out at 5:45 pm on October 4, was contained by 7:15 pm, and several other buses in the area were also affected. BEST has initiated a review of safety arrangements at its depots and stations in response to the incident.\n\nSeven of the destroyed buses were recent additions to the BEST fleet. The proximity of the parked buses played a significant role in the rapid spread of flames. Conventional key systems on the buses were cited as a contributing factor, as locating the keys delayed the movement of some vehicles during the emergency response. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with possibilities being explored, including external sources like a person smoking or discarded cigarette butts near the parked buses.\n\nOfficials have also noted the absence of dedicated firefighting facilities at several BEST depots, with Chief Committee member Trushna Vishwasrao urging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to provide a fire-extinguishing vehicle at each depot. She emphasized the need for ROUND-the-clock availability of such equipment. BEST has been increasingly reliant on its wet-lease fleet, comprising 1,967 buses out of its total 2,856. The latest directives are expected to heighten focus on parking practices, depot preparedness, and emergency response.",
  "summary": "Mumbai, October 7, 2026: The BEST Undertaking has made it mandatory for buses to be parked with a minimum gap of two feet at its depots, days after 12 CNG buses were gutted in a fire at the Anik depot. Wet-lease operators have also been instructed to park buses facing the exit so that they can be moved out quickly in case of an emergency. The move comes as BEST has begun reviewing safety…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}