Indapur tanker blast: Safety guidelines for LPG violated

The incident of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker blast at Indapur on Saturday has raised several questions. First, the transportation of the LPG was taking place at night in violation of safety guidelines. Secondly, both the drivers of the tanker and the car involved in the mishap are missing.

The mishap claimed one life and destroyed a petrol pump, a dhaba and some vehicles on Pune-Solapur highway. According to local residents, the tanker was travelling on the highway when a car dashed it and the blast took place. According to fire brigade officials, if a similar incident had taken place in the city area, the casualties would have been more.
Thus, the petroleum company should make it clear that transportation of such inflammable substances should not take place after sunset.

Prashant Ranpise, deputy fire chief of the Pune Municipal Corporation, said, “If such an incident would have taken place at a petrol pump in Pune city, the damage would have been more. There are clear guidelines under the Explosives Act that handling of inflammable material should not be carried out after sunset. The loading and unloading of inflammable material is not permissible after sunset.”

The Indapur police have claimed that the tanker had unloaded diesel at the petrol pump and it was approaching the highway when a speeding car hit it and the blast took place.
However, questions are raised about the drivers of the tanker and the car who are missing. Local residents said the blast had such a huge impact that an area of nearly 300 square ft was destroyed in the fire. Now, local residents are raising questions about how both the drivers could escape unhurt and are missing.

@journoanurag