Pune Faces Major Emergency as Tanker Overturns, Releasing 'Toxic Gas'; Traffic Rerouted and Driver Falls Sick

In a significant emergency in Pune, Maharashtra, a hazardous situation unfolded when a tanker carrying highly flammable and toxic ethylene oxide overturned near Vadgaon Sheri Chowk on the Pune-Ahmednagar Highway.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, prompting immediate response from the fire brigade and Pune Police due to the potential dangers of explosion and health risks.

The Pune Fire Brigade received a distress call around 12:47 am on Monday regarding the leakage of ethylene oxide, a chemical known for being highly flammable, toxic, and carcinogenic. The tanker involved belonged to a private chemical company, reportedly operated by Reliance Petrochemicals. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, fire tenders from nearby stations were dispatched to the scene.

Upon reaching the site, continuous water spraying commenced from the fire tenders onto the tanker where the leak was occurring, with efforts persisting without interruption. The fire brigade informed the chemical company officials and a team from the company arrived at the scene.

Additionally, chemical emergency response vehicles from the fire department were expected to arrive by approximately 8 am, and water spraying would continue until then.

To ensure public safety, local police and the traffic control branch cordoned off the area, diverting traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar Road and other connecting routes.

The driver of the tanker, experiencing respiratory distress possibly due to toxic exposure, was promptly admitted to the hospital. However, there were no other reported cases of exposure, according to fire brigade officials.

The situation remained under close scrutiny, with the concerted efforts of the fire brigade, company officials, and emergency response teams to mitigate the risks associated with ethylene oxide leakage.