A major scare gripped Kalamassery when fire was detected in a mini lorry transporting cooking gas cylinders near Premier Junction on Saturday morning.
However, a tragedy was averted thanks to the presence of mind of passersby who more or less doused the fire using fire extinguishers, easing the anxiety of people in the area. The lorry deployed by a gas agency had 62 filled cooking gas cylinders for distribution in households.
The incident took place along a sensitive stretch with the metro also passing nearby. Abdul Salam, a local, had taken the initiative in putting out the fire and soon others joined him. Moves were afoot to felicitate the youngster for his bravery, said municipal councillor S. Abdul.
A fire force unit from Eloor fire station, which was just one-a-half-kilometres away, rushed to the spot around 10.30 a.m. “We spotted smoke from a small fire near the engine of the lorry, which probably was caused by leakage of fuel on to the hot silencer following a rupture in the line leading from the tank to fuel pump,” said Jude Thadeus, Station Officer, Eloor fire station.
The fire fighting unit sprayed dry chemical powder to put out the fire and started cooling the cylinders to avert their potential explosion. Though a fire unit and a water tanker were rushed to the spot from Gandhi Nagar and Thrikkakara fire stations, the fire fighting unit from Eloor had by then doused the fire.
Incidentally, the fire was detected at the same spot where a drill to deal with a potential tanker disaster was held a few months ago.
The fire force continued the cooling of the cylinders for about 30 minutes before they were shifted to another vehicle and removed from the spot. The mini lorry was also moved shortly thereafter.
