ONGOLE: Around one hundred cylinders of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) exploded one after another when a truck transporting them caught fire near Daddavada village in Komarolu Mandal, Prakasam district, around 1 am on Friday.
Fortunately, there were no casualties thanks to the truck driver, Mohan Raju. Raju’s presence of mind and quick response from the police and fire department personnel averted a major mishap.
The truck, loaded with 306 LPG cylinders, caught fire en route to the Bharat Gas Agency at Ulavapadu in SPSR Nellore (erstwhile Prakasam) from Bharat Gas filling station at Kalluru in Kurnool. Raju, a native of Lakshmipuram in Kurnool, noticed the fire in the truck’s engine, suspected to be caused due to a short circuit, and tried to extinguish it, police said. After he failed to control it, he left the vehicle on the outskirts of Daddavada village and ran away.
When he was at least half a kilometre from the burning truck, Raju prevented other vehicles on the highway to head toward the truck. He alerted the locals and police, who rushed to the spot and diverted vehicular traffic. Families living within a three hundred feet radius of the truck were evacuated immediately.
30 families, staff of two roadside hotels evacuated
Fire tenders from Giddalur had reached the scene, but could not control the fire as the LPG cylinders exploded one after the other. After around seven hours, the situation was brought under control as the fire was completely put off by 7.45 am. Officials of Bharat Gas visited the spot and spoke to the truck driver as well as the police officers to initiate a further courses of action.
“Around 35 police officers and fire department personnel rushed to the spot and diverted the traffic to alternative routes. As many as 30 families and staff from two roadside hotels, were evacuated. Based on preliminary enquiry and Raju’s complaint, we have registered a case under ‘Accidental Fire’.
Other sections of IPC will be added based on the facts found after investigation,” Giddaluru CI Firoze told TNIE. Markapur DSP Kishore Kumar, Cumbham CI Rajesh Kumar, Komarolu SI Sambaiah, Giddalur SI Brahmanaidu, and others led their teams in the rescue efforts. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief as there were no casualties or property damage.