A speeding chemical tanker caught fire after it overturned near Mumbai-Pune highway in Khopoli, Raigad district on Wednesday morning. |
Navi Mumbai: Traffic was shut for about three hours on Wednesday morning at Khopoli-Shilphata road after a tanker topping caused major fire on the road. The chemical laden tanker toppled after exiting Mumbai Pune Expressway from Khopoli side at around 5.50 am.
The ethanol that was in the tanker, spilled upto around 25 feet on the road which caused the spread of fire. As the tanker toppled, the driver of the tanker jumped out to safety after which the tanker caught fire and the fire spread immediately across the road.
“The rod was cordened off 1 km away from both the ends of the accident spot. One car which was parked on the way too caught fire,” said a police officer from Khopolice police station. The fire spread to the sides of the road as well which had dry grass.
Fire tenders from JSW, Tata company and Khopoli gram panchyat, had reached the spot and started dousing the fire using foam, said police. “Electricity supply of the area too was disconnected for safety reasons,” said police.
