LPG Tanker Leak Incident In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Hour-By-Hour Account Of How Disaster Was Averted

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar faced a potential disaster on Thursday when an LPG tanker veered onto the divider of the Cidco flyover, causing a leak. However, swift coordination between the police force, municipal corporation, district administration, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), and other agencies prevented a catastrophic explosion in the city. The rescue operation, spanning 14 hours from 6am onwards, was meticulously executed.

The incident occurred when driver Firdos Taj Mohammad Ansari (22, from Jharkhand) and a cleaner were transporting an 18-tonne LPG tanker (MH 43 BP 5902) to the HPCL LPG refilling factory in the Chikalthana Industrial area. The tanker collided with the divider near Vasantrao Naik College on Jalna Road at around 5:13am, causing two of its valves to start leaking gas. Although the driver and cleaner fled the scene, the police immediately sprang into action upon receiving the alert.

Under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner and Administrator G Srikanth, the fire brigade deployed six fire tender vehicles and 70 water tankers to the site. Firefighters began spraying water on the tanker at 6am to prevent a potential explosion. As a precautionary measure, schools, colleges, shops, and hotels within a 500-metre radius were evacuated, and electricity supply to the area was cut off. Public announcements were made urging residents not to use cooking stoves or any inflammable items.

The rescue efforts intensified when the NDRF from Jalgaon arrived at around 1pm. Despite the release of three tons of LPG into the air, the remaining 15 tonnes in the tanker posed a significant risk. After technical evaluation, it was decided to transfer the gas to another tanker around 3pm.

Traffic on Jalna Road was halted, and commuters were advised to switch off their mobile phones as a safety precaution. The road was reopened at around 7pm after the successful completion of the rescue operation. The Municipal Commissioner commended the efforts of the fire brigade, water department, police, and other employees involved in the operation, acknowledging their crucial role in averting a potential disaster.