LPG TANKER EXPLODED

LPG TANKER EXPLODED

A woman was killed and 42 others injured when an LPG tanker exploded on the national highway in the Chala area Kannur by 9 pm Monday,27^th August,2012.The incident occurred when the lorry carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) overturned after hitting a divider around 9 p.m. Monday.
While the driver and a helper ran for safety, the vehicle caught fire and the flames engulfed five houses and some shops nearby.The deceased is identified as Sreelatha wife of Kesavan from Chala who was under treatment at Koyli hospital. Her husband Kesavan is also under treatment. . She was sleeping, when her house, 200 metres from the accident site, caught fire. She succumbed to her injuries Tuesday.

'We were around five km from the accident spot and heard a huge explosion and bright lights,' said a witness. 'Had there been no heavy rain at that time, the disaster would have been greater.' Condition of 10 is said to be critical. Several houses and shops where gutted in the fire. Police and Fire and Rescue Service personnel rushed to the spot and no casualty has been reported till midnight. The injured were admitted to Pariyaram Medical College Hospital and Medical College Hospital Kozhikode. People living nearby areas have been evacuated to safer places.The tanker lorry which was on its way to Thalassery from Kannur hit the divider on the road by 10.45 pm near Chala temple, overturned and caught fire. The gas leaked for about 20 minutes and caused explosion. Fire immediately spread to the shops and houses nearby. Flames engulfed an area surrounding one and a half kilometers. According to initial reports five houses caught fire following the explosion. Residents rushed out of the houses immediately after the explosion. Injured where taken to Pariyaram medical college hospital and various private hospitals in Kannur and Thalassery. Four people whose injury was serious are admitted in Kozhikode medical college hospital. There is no clue about the lorry driver and helper.

Reports say that there were two explosions. Local residents say that they could see fire raging. Even police and Fire and Rescue personnel could not reach near the spot because of extensive fire that covered large area. The reports say that the explosion occurred after the driver of the tanker lorry alighted from the cabin on finding gas leakage. Power supply in the area have been cutoff as a precautionary measure. Rail and road traffic where put a halt for hours.By midnight the fire was brought under control. A control room have started functioning at Edakkad police station. Contact: 0497 2832022

Prof. John Kurakar