Chemical tanker hits unidentified vehicle in Thane; no casualty

Thane: A chemical-laden tanker collided with an unidentified vehicle in Maharashtra's Thane city in the wee hours of Tuesday, briefly affecting traffic on the route, officials said.

The tanker driver got trapped inside his cabin and was rescued later by the fire brigade personnel, Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said, adding there was no casualty.

The incident was reported at 1.42 am near a traffic police post at Kalyan Phata in Shil area, he said.

The tanker, on way from Gujarat to Dombivli in Thane, was carrying 24 tons of aniline chemical, commonly used in the manufacture of paints, polymers and pharmaceuticals.

"The driver lost control over the tanker and it collided with an unidentified vehicle moving ahead along the Thane to Kalyan Phata route," said Tadvi.

"The cabin of the tanker suffered damage and the driver was trapped inside. Our fire brigade personnel rescued him in about 15 minutes," the official said.

After nearly 30 minutes of efforts emergency service responders, the tanker was moved to the roadside using a hydra machine, he said.

"Due to the incident, traffic heading from Thane to Kalyan Phata moved slowly for about half an hour," the official said.

"The aniline chemical in the tanker is secure and poses no immediate threat," he said, adding there was no leakage or spillage due to the accident.

The road has now been completely cleared and normal traffic movement has resumed, the official said.