A tanker lorry carrying highly flammable methanol skidded off the National Highway near Kalamassery municipal office after the driver lost control of the vehicle here on Thursday night.
Incessant rain helped contain the impact of the methanol spill from the lorry. The accident triggered panic in the region for more than three hours from 9 p.m., when the incident was reported. The driver of the tanker was admitted to a private hospital near Edappally with minor injuries. No one else was injured.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Eloor, Gandhinagar and FACT, who rushed to the spot, told The Hindu that the incident occurred when the tanker lorry skidded off the road while trying to give way to a speeding private bus. The tanker was carrying over 20,000 litres of methanol when the accident occurred. According to Fire Force personnel, the vehicle had began its journey from Willingdon Island and was proceeding towards Kadaloor. The tanker was bearing an Andhra Pradesh registration number.
Eyewitnesses said that a major tragedy was averted thanks to the incessant rain, which was crucial in diluting the leak from the tanker lorry. Water from the four tanker units that reached the spot was also used to flush the region.
Fire Force officials at the Eloor division said that the unscientific slope on the edge of the National Highway resulted in the tanker skidding off the busy road. Many accidents, especially involving two-wheelers in the rainy season, had been reported earlier along the Edappally-Kalamassery stretch.
Fire Force and Police officials admitted that they had little knowledge about the standard operating procedure to be adopted during such an emergency. Experts said that the emergency response protocol recommended an immediate isolation distance of at least 50 metres in all directions. Evacuation should also be carried out in all directions from the spill to a radial distance of 800 metres. Power supply should be switched off to avert a disaster.
Fire Force personnel also said that they lacked clothing material and safety equipment to be used during an accident involving a tanker lorry carrying inflammable liquid. A crane was used to later shift the tanker.
