LPG tanker overturns; no casualty or gas leak

An LPG tanker, carrying 17 tonnes of highly inflammable cooking gas, overturned today while negotiating a curve, but there was no casualty or gas leak though the mishap created panic in the area, police said.
The mishap took place on a NH-16 stretch near Venkojipalem in the city in the wee hours. Fortunately, gas didn't leak out of the tanker and a low vehicular traffic at that time on the generally busy highway saved the day, they said.
However, the incident triggered panic among residents of the area, but they calmed down when police and fire service personnel told them there was nothing to worry.

ACP (Traffic) K Prabhakar, who along with his team rushed to the spot to regulate traffic, said had the gas leaked out of the tanker, it would have resulted in a major disaster in the port city.
The tanker, heading towards Khurda Road in Odisha from HPCL Petro Park here, tipped over due to speeding and negligent driving, he said.
Police and fire service personnel sprayed water at the spot as a precautionary step and also temporarily evacuated residents.
A large number of passersby gathered at the spot and many of them were seen taking selfies from their mobile phones as heavy duty cranes were requisitioned to lift the tanker.

The tanker driver, identified as Dharmendra, claimed he lost control over the vehicle when he applied brakes.