One more LPG tanker turned turtle on the Bangalore-Mangalore National Highway in Shiradi Ghat, near Maranahalli in Sakleshpur taluk, on Monday evening, causing leakage of highly inflammable gas. The driver and his assistant suffered minor injuries.
The truck was going from Mangalore to Bangalore.
The police and Fire and Emergency Services staff rushed to the spot and evacuated the area.
Vehicles were being diverted at Sakleshpur. The police said the tanker had fallen on the right side of the road, damaging the tank. Rescue units of the oil company had been informed about the incident, said the police.
A similar incident occurred on Sunday, when a tanker overturned in the same area. The second tanker overturned barely four hours after the road was cleared of gas, which was released from the first tanker.
Referring to Sunday’s accident, Rudre Gowda, district fire officer, told The Hindu on Monday that the gas was released by around 2 p.m. on Monday. “The tanker, which belonged to Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd., was carrying 18 tonnes of LPG. As the tanker had fallen 30 feet deep, it was impossible to transfer the gas to another tanker. The gas was released into the open air after cooling it by dousing with water. We required five tanks of water for the task,” he said. However, within four hours, the staff had to rush to the spot again.
Ravi D. Channanvar, Superintendent of Police, told The Hindu that oil companies had been requested to set up rescue teams in Hassan, in the wake of repeated incidents in the area.
A few months ago, a gas truck turned turtle near Alur, close to a place where a primary health centre and a primary school.were located. The district administration had to shift the hospital immediately. to protect the staff and patients.
“The companies should understand the necessity of a rescue team in Hassan. Whenever such incidents happen, a team has to arrive from either Mangalore or Bangalore, which takes at least a minimum of four hours,” he said.
