Navi Mumbai: When specialised NDRF teams and chemical industry experts failed to contain a hazardous gas leak from an overturned tanker that crippled traffic on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway for nearly 33 hours, it was quick thinking by police officers, volunteers and local factory workers that prevented a potential catastrophe within Khopoli limits of Raigad district.
The tanker met with an accident around 5 pm on February 3, triggering a major gas leak and severe congestion on the busy expressway. HELP Foundation volunteers and police personnel were the first responders and found the leakage to be substantial and blocked the traffic. Despite the arrival of multiple expert teams, repeated attempts to seal the leak through conventional methods failed through the night.
With the situation worsening, a decision was taken around midnight to plug the leaking valves using specially crafted wooden plugs. Wood was sourced on the spot after Highway Safety Patrol personnel climbed nearby trees and cut branches for the task. Police constable Arvind Phusphulwar climbed the tree on the instructions of Borghat in-charge API Swapnil Patil, DySP Pushpalata Dighe said.
HELP Foundation’s Gurunath Sathekar said that even after experts from BPCL, HPCL and Reliance reached the spot with equipment, they could not stop the leakage. “Iron tools could not be used due to explosion risk, so we continued with wooden plugs fitted using a fibre hammer. Two additional leaks were later detected and sealed using plaster bandages and POP. Another sealing material that the chemical company personnels gave, caused the chemical to freeze and led to cold burns, so it had to be abandoned,” he said.
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Muslim workers gave up Badi Raat religious observances to assist in the emergency. Tanveer Mulla from the Khopoli area rushed to his workshop at Isamba Phata around 2.30 am and prepared four wooden plugs free of cost within 45 minutes. He later also made plaster-based plugs as the operation continued. Materials such as plaster bandages and special cement were urgently sourced from Sheel Phata by Asif Patel and Amol Thakkar, officials said.
Workers from Mec Elec Industrial Company also joined the mission, while heavy cranes were eventually deployed to erect the 41-tonne tanker after most of the chemical was transferred. “Ground-level workers were the real heroes of this operation,” Sathekar said.
Khopoli police inspector Sachin Hire said the situation was extremely sensitive. “Even a small spark from a passing vehicle could have caused an explosion. Only wood, plastic and fibre tools could be used. While commuters were inconvenienced, saving lives was our priority,” he said.
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