Tanker truck carrying aviation fuel overturns

ALAPPUZHA: A major accident was averted after a

tanker truck carrying aviation fuel

overturned at Purakkad near here in the wee hours of Thursday.

According to circle-inspector Biju V Nair, the truck that was transporting 25,000 litre of fuel from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram international airport lost control at Puthennada on

NH 66

. The fuel started leaking from the tanker as soon as it overturned.

“Driver Manojkumar and helper Santhosh, both hailing Uttar Pradesh, escaped with minor injuries. The incident took place at 12.30am and the truck was shifted from the spot by 8am. We suspect that the

driver might have dozed off

, resulting in the accident,'' he said.

Fire brigades from Haripad and Thakazhi reached the spot to help manage the situation. Policemen diverted the traffic while the fire and rescue team sprayed water to clean the area.

Later, an expert team from Bhart Petroleum, Kochi, reached the spot and plugged the leak. Traffic was partially disrupted due to the accident.

Haripad fire and rescue unit station officer K L Harikumar, leading firemen C R Jayakumar, Manikuttan and N Venu led the

rescue operations

.