BENGALURU: A major fire broke out near the Kanakapura toll plaza on NICE Road after a chemical-laden tanker overturned and caught fire on Sunday afternoon. No casualties were reported, but the incident caused heavy traffic congestion on the stretch.
According to the fire department, the fire control room received information about the tanker fire around 12.30pm and seven fire tenders were despatched. Though the fire was brought under control after around 90 minutes, it took over five hours to completely extinguish the flames.
Firefighters faced difficulties as the tanker was carrying chemical solvents, an officer said. The police said the tanker was heading towards Mumbai from Chennai when one of its tyres burst, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. It brushed against a car before overturning and catching fire. The vehicle belonged to a Mumbai-based chemical company. The driver and his assistant managed to escape shortly after the fire broke out and sustained minor injuries.
The incident severely disrupted traffic on NICE Road, with vehicles halting for nearly 30 minutes on both carriageways. The Talaghattapura traffic police rushed to the spot and made alternative arrangements to ease congestion. A passage was created across the median using sand to facilitate U-turns and divert vehicles, the officer said.