Two oil tankers overturned at different places in Tiruvallur district on Friday.
The first incident took place around 5.30 p.m. near Thiruvalangadu, when oil-tanker driver Abraham lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting a motorcyclist at Veeraraghavapuram.
The front wheel hit the low-level parapet wall of a culvert and the vehicle fell into an agricultural field.
The lids of oil compartments of the vehicle were thrown open and the fuel gushed out.
About 5,000 litres of petrol and 15,000 litres of diesel were being transported in the vehicle from the Indian Oil Corporation terminal at Korukkupet in Chennai to a petrol bunk at Kumminipettai near Arakonam.
Firemen from Tiruttani and Arakonam sprayed foam on the agriculture field. The second incident took place at Vinayakapuram on Chennai-Tirupati Road near Tiruttani around 9-30 p.m.
Another oil tanker overturned when the driver applied sudden brake to avoid hitting people, who had gathered near an accident site on the same road, where motorcycle and a vehicle had collided. As a result, petrol and diesel from the oil tanker spilled onto the road.
The oil tanker was proceeding towards Tiruttani from Chennai. The motorcyclist, pillion riders and three others, including the oil tanker driver, were injured and rushed to the Government Hospital at Tiruttani.
