A chemical leak from a tanker near Pune city’s Chandni Chowk late on Wednesday led to brief moments of panic in the area, said officials from the city’s Fire Department.
However, the situation was well under control soon.
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According to sources, the chemical-laden tanker laden was believed to be coming from Panvel in Navi Mumbai and headed for Satara district in western Maharashtra.
“When it reached near Chandni Chowk on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway late on Wednesday, its tyres had got air-locked and could not be moved from the road. Fumes of chemical were leaking from the tanker which sent people on the road nearby into a panic after the chemical led to sore throats and watery eyes. The stench of the acid which wafted in the adjoining areas sparked further consternation among people in the neighbourhood,” said a Fire Brigade officer.
This prompted circulation of messages on social media, advising people to close their windows and not venture out in the vicinity of the leak.
“To stop the acid spreading across the highway, we diverted its flow towards the roadside. Authorities of the chemical firm concerned were called to bring another tanker to transfer the acid,” he said.
Soon after the situation was brought under control, Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Siddharth Shirole took to the micro-blogging platform Twitter to reassure citizens.
