Month-old Tata Punch SUV catches fire while driving in Gujarat: Owner files FIR [Video]

Update: Tata Motors has now come forward with an official statement about the accident. Tata Motors spokesperson said, “We are actively looking into this thermal incident. We understand from the customer that fortunately all occupants are safe and unhurt. We are engaging with the customer and investigating agencies to offer all possible support and will be conducting a detailed investigation to ascertain the facts/ reasons of this unfortunate incident. Safety of vehicles and their users remains our foremost priority at Tata Motors.”

Tata cars are often associated with good build quality. There have been many incidents where Tata car owners have walked away from accidents unharmed and praised the quality of the vehicles. However, recently, in Gujarat, a Tata Punch micro SUV, which was just one month old, caught fire while being driven on a highway. The passengers and occupants managed to escape the car in time, but the vehicle was completely burned down. The owner has filed an FIR regarding the incident, and images and videos of the car on fire have already circulated on several social media platforms.

The owner of the Tata Punch, Prabal Bordiya, managed to take a few pictures and record a video of his car burning. He wrote, “While driving my Tata Punch, which I purchased just one month ago, the bonnet caught fire automatically. Within moments, the car was engulfed in flames and was reduced to ashes within minutes, putting our lives at risk. Thankfully, we were able to escape from the car immediately and avoid serious injuries.”

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He mentions that the fire was intense and spread to other parts of the car in no time, leaving the occupants no time to escape. The owner stresses that it is crucial to share this story with the wider public to raise awareness of the issue and urge Tata Motors to take appropriate action to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. The owner was forced to leave the car on the highway and run away to safety. As of now, there is no information on what caused the fire.

The Tata Punch is a very popular SUV in the Indian market, and it is the most affordable car in the Indian market to receive a 5-star safety rating in the Global NCAP crash test. Only a detailed investigation into the matter will reveal the actual cause behind the fire. The Tata Punch is based on the HBX concept, which was showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo in India. The production version of the Punch was launched in the market a year after that. It is powered by a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine that generates 86 Bhp and 115 Nm of peak torque. The Punch is offered with a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT gearbox option.

The Tata Punch that caught fire on the National Highway in Gujarat was an Accomplished variant with an AMT gearbox. Thankfully, the owner and other occupants inside the car were able to get out of the car in time. Otherwise, things could have been much worse. A few days ago, we came across another incident where a car in motion caught fire. A Tata Harrier caught fire in the middle of the road, and the owner managed to escape.

Just like in the case of this Tata Punch, it looks like the fire started from under the bonnet. The Harrier was 11 months old. Recently, we also came across an incident where a Volvo XC90 luxury SUV caught fire on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. The owner noticed smoke coming out from the engine bay while driving. Fearing a fire outbreak, the owner parked the SUV and evacuated with all of his family members.