LPG tanker explodes after head-on collision with heavy truck, 2 killed

Kolkata: A Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) and an LPG tanker collided head-on at Kona Expressway in Howrah on the wee hours of Thursday.

Immediately after the collision, both the vehicles went up in flames, resulting in blasting of the LPG tanker. The drivers of both the vehicles burnt to death while being seated inside.

According to the police, around 3:40 am on Thursday, a Kolkata-bound LPG tanker filled with gas collided head-on with an HGV carrying iron material near Garfa rail bridge.

Due to friction a fire broke out and immediately spread on both the vehicles. As the fire came in contact with the highly inflammable LPG tanker, the tanker burst.

Later, multiple sounds of blast could been heard around 2 km away from the accident spot. The fire spread on some temporary street side shops.

During the incident an on-duty traffic police constable Chandu Sardar got seriously burnt. He was taken to Howrah District hospital. Later, he was been shifted to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital with 80% burn injury.

Fire brigade arrived within a few moments. Primarily, four fire tenders were pressed in to action. Later, two more fire tenders were sent. The fire fighters were able to control the flames around 7:30 am.

Later, the fire fighters recovered two charred bodies from the driving seats of the vehicles.

"We were sleeping when we heard multiple loud explosions. We came running to the spot and saw that a HGV and gas tanker collided and were up in flames," said a local resident.

Due to the blast the flames went up so high that the High Tension (HT) electricity line of West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (WBSETCL) got affected.

The HT wire melted and fell on the South Eastern Railway's overhead wire in Howrah-Amta section and as a result the railway overhead connection tripped between Santragachi/Mourigram and Bankranawabaz rail station.

Train services got disrupted. Two pairs of Howrah Amta local were cancelled.

As HT wire of State Electricity had fallen on the railway wire between Santragachi/Mourigram and Bankranawabaz, the train services in Amta section were disrupted.

Early morning EMU locals between Howrah/Santragachi and Amta have been cancelled.

"Considering the ground situation another pair of Amta local was Cancelled. Overhead electrical connection resumed at 7:35 am and only after that train services in Amta section resumed," said spokesperson from South Eastern Railway.

Not only train services but also the Kolkata flank of National Highway 2 and 6 got choked for more than five hours. After the fire was doused, Howrah Police managed to clear the road within an hour. Around 8:30 normal vehicular movement resumed. But it took more than three hours to ease the traffic congestion in the area.