Massive Fire on Jaipur-Ajmer Highway as Over 40 LPG Cylinders Explode After Tanker Crash
Jaipur: A massive fire broke out on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway on Tuesday night after a chemical-laden tanker rammed into a parked truck carrying LPG cylinders, setting off a chain of explosions that sent panic across the area. Over 40 cylinders exploded one after another, with the blasts and flames visible and audible from several kilometres away.
Officials confirmed on Wednesday that the tanker driver was burnt alive in the incident, while another man sustained injuries.
Jaipur Collector Dr. Jitendra Soni said that a Hindustan Petroleum team carried out a safe removal of all remaining cylinders following standard safety procedures.
“Scrap from 42 exploded cylinders was found scattered around the area. However, 120 cylinders were intact and safely removed by the Hindustan Petroleum team, which followed all safety protocols to sanitise the site,” Dr. Soni told PTI.
The truck transporting the cylinders had been parked outside a roadside hotel, and its driver had gone for dinner when the tanker crashed into it. The tanker’s cabin caught fire immediately, and several cylinders spilled onto the road, triggering successive explosions.
Police personnel from multiple stations rushed to the scene, traffic was halted, and fire tenders were deployed to bring the blaze under control. Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa also visited the site to assess the situation.
“The tanker driver was charred to death in the accident, and one other person was injured,” said Deepak Khandelwal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Dudu, adding that traffic was later restored on the highway.
Eyewitnesses claimed that a Regional Transport Office (RTO) squad was conducting vehicle checks on the highway, and in an attempt to avoid them, the tanker driver abruptly changed lanes and lost control, leading to the collision.
Authorities are currently investigating the exact cause of the crash.
Notably, in December last year, a similar incident occurred on the same highway near Bhankrota when an LPG tanker collided with a truck, resulting in a massive fireball that killed 19 people and turned a stretch of the road into an inferno.
