Oil tanker catches massive fire on national highway in Khanna

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 3

A potential major tragedy was averted when an oil tanker caught massive fire following an incident on the national highway in Khanna on Wednesday. The tanker, carrying 6,000 litres of diesel and 6,000 litres of petrol, overturned on a flyover around 12:30 pm today after its tyre got burst and the driver lost control over the vehicle. Subsequently, the tanker caught fire, causing panic on the highway.

On witnessing the extensive blaze on the flyover, commuters stopped their vehicles. The authorities, including the district administration, police and firefighters, promptly reached the scene after receiving information. The incident disrupted the traffic flow on the stretch, leading to its diversion from the other side of the flyover.

Fire brigade teams initiated operations to contain the blaze. A fire officer in Khanna, Yashpal Rai, said the tanker was going from Jalandhar to Mandi Gobindgarh when the incident occurred. There was a large amount of fuel in the tanker. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

In response to the emergency, the fire tenders were promptly dispatched from Gobindgarh, Khanna and Samrala fire stations.

He said the fire was controlled soon after the incident.

A senior official of Fire Brigade, Khanna, Mahesh Sharma, said additional precautions were implemented by firefighters to avert any possible reignition, as a small quantity of fuel continued to leak from a damaged section of the tanker even after extinguishing the flames. The firefighters also put sand and foam in the area where the fuel had spilled on the flyover stretch to prevent any reignition, the official added.

The officials said it was a massive blaze and timely measures were taken by the police and district administration to avert any potential major tragedy in Khanna today.

Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal said the incident occurred after the oil tanker overturned. She said both driver and his associate were out of danger and were discharged from a hospital after first aid. The fire was brought under control with the help of about six fire tenders.

The SSP said after the fire was doused, senior officials of the NHAI were informed. They are assessing whether any damage had been done to the flyover where the accident occurred.

Except for heavy vehicles, the traffic was resumed a few hours after the fire was doused and till the time the NHAI officials submit their report regarding the damages, heavy vehicles would be routed through an alternate route.

Was carrying 12,000 litres of petrol, diesel

The oil tanker, carrying 6,000 litres of diesel and 6,000 litres of petrol, overturned on a flyover around 12:30 pm on Wednesday after its tyre got burst and the driver lost control over the vehicle. Subsequently, the vehicle quickly caught fire, causing panic on the highway.

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