More than 80 years after one of Mumbai’s worst fire disasters, the Mumbai Fire Brigade has restored a historic rescue vehicle that played a key role during the 1944 Bombay dock explosions. The vehicle is a ladder-mounted fire engine and has been brought back to a motorable condition and will be inaugurated on Republic Day by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Last year, civic officials decided to restore the historic vehicle. As part of the work, damaged and worn-out parts were replaced. The vehicle was painted in its original colour. The levers were restored for better movement. The engine and chassis were fully refurbished. New tyres were also installed to make the vehicle roadworthy.
As per reports, the restored vehicle will not be used for firefighting duties. It will be displayed at the Mumbai Fire Brigade headquarters and maintained regularly. On special occasions, the vehicle will be taken out for ceremonial parades.
The Bombay dock explosions took place on the afternoon of April 14, 1944. Two massive blasts shook the island city after a British cargo ship, SS Fort Stikine, caught fire at the docks. The ship was carrying ammunition meant for the Second World War. Within hours of the fire breaking out, powerful explosions ripped the ship into two parts.
The blasts created huge fireballs that spread across the dockyard and nearby areas. The force of the explosions was so strong that it was recorded by seismographs. Firefighting and rescue work continued for three days.
🚒 The historic 'Turn Table Ladder' fire brigade vehicle, which played a vital role in tackling the massive fire on the cargo ship at Mumbai Docks in 1944, has been beautifully restored by BMC’s Mumbai Fire Brigade.
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) January 26, 2026
🔸The vehicle unveiled today by the auspicious hands of Hon’ble… pic.twitter.com/Q2pXK39y5G
The then Bombay Fire Brigade worked inside the dock compound to rescue dock workers and civilians trapped in warehouses. One of the most important tools used during the rescue was a vehicle-mounted turntable ladder made of cast iron.
The turntable ladder was fitted on a small truck. It could be raised and rotated using a hydraulic system. During the 1944 fire, the ladder was lifted up to warehouse levels. Trapped workers climbed down the ladder to reach safer ground.
Fire brigade records show that the ladder vehicle was manufactured in 1937 by British automobile company Leyland. It was inducted into the Bombay Fire Brigade in 1941. The vehicle remained in service for several years before being decommissioned. It was later kept as a souvenir at the fire brigade headquarters in Byculla.
Share
Tweet
