Two persons were killed and three others injured in a freak accident that involved an explosion in a moving chemical tanker and subsequent pile-up of three vehicles on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway on Sunday, causing massive disruption of traffic for hours.
"The incident occurred near a petrol pump at Wadoli village in Palghar district adjoining Mumbai in afternoon when the tanker carrying some inflammable chemical caught fire while moving while a truck rammed into it from behind, causing an explosion," Talasari tehsildar (revenue official) Vishal Doundkar told PTI.
Due to the impact, the affected tanker hit another truck ahead of it while a car collided with the tanker from behind.
The deceased have been identified as Ramesh Khot and Razzak Bapu Gavad who were travelling in the truck that hit the tanker from behind.
The injured persons have been identified as Ajinkya Patil (29), Prachi Patil (50) and Rasika Patil (50), who were travelling in the car.
Talasari police inspector Keshav Naik said the tanker belonged to Mumbai-based Amit Roadlines.
Fire tenders from nearby areas and also Khanvel on the outskirts of Gujarat were dispatched to douse the flames, Doundkar said, adding the tanker was gutted in fire.
The authorities had a tough time in managing the traffic on the busy highway as the accident took place just near a petrol pump which was also cordoned off.
The accident caused a massive traffic snarl on the busy highway, with long queues of vehicles stretching upto at least five kms.
