Jaipur Gas Cylinder Blast: See shocking images of the accident, cylinders kept exploding for 2 hours, tanker driver burnt to death

Jaipur Gas Cylinder Blast: A horrific accident on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway late Tuesday night sent shockwaves through the entire area. Near Mokham Pura in Dudu, a tanker filled with chemicals collided with a truck laden with LPG cylinders parked on the roadside.

Upon collision, both vehicles caught fire, which gradually escalated into a massive explosion. For about two hours, more than 150 gas cylinders exploded, with the sounds audible up to 10 kilometres away. The intensity of the blasts was such that several cylinders landed in fields 500 metres away.

The driver of the chemical tanker was burnt alive at the scene in the accident, while the truck driver narrowly escaped. The incident occurred around 10 PM. The truck carrying cylinders was loaded with a total of 330 cylinders.

As the fire engulfed the truck, the cylinders began to explode one after another. Flames shot up into the sky, causing panic in the surrounding area.

According to eyewitnesses, the accident began when the tanker driver, seeing an RTO vehicle approaching from the front, swerved the vehicle towards a roadside dhaba in fear. During this manoeuvre, he collided with the truck carrying gas cylinders.

Sparking occurred immediately after the collision, and the fire spread. The truck driver, Shahrukh, stated that the tanker driver attempted to save himself, but the fire spread so rapidly that he could not escape and died on the spot.

Following the accident, a plume of fire and smoke spread across the highway. The flames engulfed five other vehicles parked nearby. Traffic in both directions was halted after the incident.

Twelve fire tenders were dispatched to the scene, and they managed to control the blaze after approximately three hours of effort. However, by then, both the truck and the tanker were completely gutted.

Traffic Diversion Causes Difficulties

The accident caused a complete blockade on the Jaipur-Ajmer route. To ease the traffic pressure, the police diverted the route. Vehicles travelling from Ajmer to Jaipur were rerouted via Kishangarh and Rupangarh.

This resulted in drivers having to travel an additional 15 kilometres. Vehicles travelling from Jaipur to Ajmer were diverted from the 200 Feet Bypass towards Tonk Road. The highway was reopened on Wednesday morning around 4:30 AM after being closed overnight.

SMS Hospital Put on Alert

Upon receiving information about the accident, SMS Hospital was placed on alert. Newly appointed Superintendent Dr. Mrinal Joshi stated that all doctors and nursing staff were called in to handle any emergency. Beds in the plastic surgery department, as well as emergency and ICU beds, were kept reserved.

Local residents reported that neither the police nor the fire brigade arrived at the scene for about two hours after the accident. If the fire had been controlled in the initial stages, such a significant loss could have been averted. Following the incident, an atmosphere of fear has gripped the area, and the villagers are still reeling from the horror of the accident.

This accident once again raises questions about the lax safety measures for vehicles carrying hazardous chemicals and gas cylinders on highways. If immediate relief and rescue measures had been in place, perhaps such a significant loss of life and property could have been avoided.