KOLLAM: Panic gripped the Thopillkadavu residential area in Kollam city when a tanker lorry carrying Liquefied Petroleum Gas overturned on the National Highway at 4 a.m. on Sunday. Though there was no leak of LPG, residents of the area panicked.

The driver of the tanker, Prakash, escaped with minor injuries. The tanker (KL 07 4133) met with the accident barely 5 metres away from an apartment complex. As a precautionary measure, District Collector B. Srinivas directed that power supply to the area be switched off, as there was a KSEB transformer near the accident site. Traffic was also diverted.

Controller of Explosives R. Venugopal supervised the operations to put the tanker back on its wheels.

The tanker was removed from the scene at 2.30 p.m. with the help of a 40-metric-tonne crane brought from Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd.

The tanker was on its way from Kochi to Indane's LPG filling station at Paripally, near here. It contained 12.55 metric tonnes of LPG. According to the driver, the accident occurred while negotiating a curve at Thoppilkadavu. Mr. Venugopal, however, suspected speeding to be the cause of the accident.

The safety valve, rotor gauge, release valve and the liquid and vapour line of the tanker were intact, Mr. Venugopal said.

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