Nagpur: A leisure trip turned into a frightening near-death experience for a Mumbai-based family on Wednesday when their BMW suddenly caught fire while moving along Wardha Road. The family of three was returning to Nagpur from Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and had just approached Kriplani T-Point around 4 pm when smoke began billowing from the car’s bonnet.
What followed was sheer panic on the busy stretch. Motorists pulled over, and traffic came to an abrupt halt as passers-by watched in shock. Within minutes, the luxury car became a fireball.
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21 Oct 2025
Fire Brigade officials at Cotton Market Fire Station received an alert around 4.15 pm and immediately dispatched a team led by Vilas Tilgule and Dhande. By the time they arrived, the flames had engulfed the entire front section of the BMW (MH03/BW-6939).
According to firefighters, the car owner first spotted smoke rising from under the bonnet and quickly pulled over. The family rushed out unharmed. Believing it might just be hot vapour, he opened the bonnet, but the moment it was lifted, flames shot out violently and began spreading rapidly through the engine compartment.
Within moments, the entire vehicle was ablaze, forcing the family to take shelter on the roadside. Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly 30 minutes, preventing a possible explosion that could have occurred had the fuel tank caught fire.
Officials suspect a short circuit triggered the incident. The BMW C+ model was reduced to a charred shell, with losses estimated at Rs 19 lakh.
