Tension prevailed for a short period at the BP Agraharam after people noticed smoke billowing from a tanker lorry carrying a chemical from an industrial unit.
People alerted fire and rescue services personnel, who rushed to the spot and found the tanker containing hydrogen peroxide and its lid was not closed properly.
“We found a leak in the tanker, which is the reason for the smoke. So we sprayed water because the chemical could be diluted,” a firefighter said.
The personnel also found the emergency information panel of the tanker carrying wrong information about the chemical loaded in it.
“The tanker is not meant to transport hydrogen peroxide. This is a serious violation and it puts us in danger,” an official pointed out.
Every tanker transporting chemicals will have the details written or painted on its emergency information panel.
Deciphering the HazChem (Hazard Chemical) code on the panel of the tanker involved in the accident is a vital component of fighting chemical disasters.
The alphanumeric code suggests the agent to be applied, whether the firefighters should go for dilution or containment and whether the nearby residents need to be evacuated.
“If a chemical other than the one stated on the panel is loaded, it will result in disastrous consequences,” the official said and appealed to the industries to follow the rules strictly while transporting chemicals.
