Ammonia tanker lorry overturns at Kundannur

KOCHI: A major accident was averted when Fire and Rescue Service personnel managed to contain the leakage of ammonia from a tanker lorry on the National Highway at Kundannur Junction during the early morning hours of Friday.

A tanker lorry loaded with ammonia, which was going to the FACT unit at Ambalamugal from Willingdon Island, was hit by a trailer truck coming from the opposite Vytilla side.The trailer truck was carrying an excavator at the time of the road accident.

The tanker lorry overturned under the impact of the collision and the valve of the tanker developed problems leading to leakage of ammonia. The accident happened at 4 a.m.

Four units of fire fighters, two from Gandhinagar and two from the FACT unit, were rushed to the spot and they contained the effect of ammonia leakage by continuously spraying water on the chemical.

Kundannur Junction is one of the busiest spots along the National Highway as NH-47 and NH-49 intersect here. Experts from Kochi Refineries, FACT and Cochin Port Trust visited the accident site to evaluate the damage.

The overturned tanker could be removed only by noon, but the traffic at the junction could be managed as the tanker overturned after entering the road towards Maradu, said traffic police personnel.