Residents living in the surrounding areas were vacated by the authorities as a precautionary measure. However, police officials, constables and others present at the accident spot had to bear the brunt of the leaking gas.

The LPG tanker of Hindustan Petroleum (No. MH-04 F 3150) was heading towards Tamil Nadu from Aurangabad. The driver, Sarvar Singh Sukhdev Singh, and his brother, Jagjeet Singh, (both residents of Tardeo, Mumbai) have been admitted to the local civil hospital. The police have registered offences against the two.

The accident occurred at 5 pm yesterday when the tanker coming from the head office of the State Bank of India here turned turtle at the turn of Chandni Chowk due to rain. After the tanker turned turtle, the pressure meter was broken and the iron pipe of the meter entered the tank, resulting in leakage. The police and the fire brigade personnel arrived at the spot and water was showered on the tanker so that the temperature inside would not increase.

People living in the adjoining areas were instructed that they should not light anything as it could result in a major explosion. Electricity supply to the area was discontinued as a precautionary measure.

Chemists from the nearby Ahmednagar College, experts from the army, a special squad from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Chakan, were called to the site to eliminate the threat of explosion. The area was cordoned off. Strict vigilance was maintained to prevent anyone from entering the area.

District Collector Prithviraj Bayas, District Superintendent of Police Himanshu Roy, Deputy Superintendent of Police Dattatraya Karale and other senior officers were present at the site throughout the night.

Three empty tankers were brought and fuel was removed from the leaking tanker. In all, 18 tonnes of LPG content was present in the tanker which amounted to 1,300 cylinders of domestic gas, said an expert from the HPCL.

The Sacred Heart Convent High School and the Ahmednagar College which are nearby were closed for the day, taking into consideration the gravity of the situation.

Locals reacted very strongly to the incident. Many of them were of the view that the accident was a lapse on the part of the district administration which did not repair the faulty curve although the issue had been raised many times by the people. In the past, too, many accidents have taken place at the same spot and many trucks, tankers and others vehicles have turned turtle.