Three persons sustained injuries after a truck carrying lPG cylinders caught fire which resulted in the cooking gas cylinders exploding. The incident took place near Virbhatti and according to reports, all the gas cylinders being transported in the truck exploded eventually, only after which could the fire brigade personnel bring the fire under control.
While visiting lalkuan, the district senior superintendent of police Janmejay Khanduri said that the police had managed to bring the situation under control.
Based on the questioning of the truck driver and his helper, it is being surmised that some technical snag in the engine of the vehicle had led to the fire.
According to information received, a truck was carrying lPG cylinders from the Indane plant at Motahaldu to Kapkot-Bageshwar. When the truck arrived near the Virbhatti bridge, a technical snag caused a fire in the truck.
As the fire escalated, one by one the lPG cylinders also began to explode. The noise of the blasting cylinders spread panic in the area with the locals coming out of their homes to check the reason for the blasts.
After the mishap the national highway chief engineer inspected the accident site. On finding the said bridge unfit for use, he ordered closure of traffic on the Jyolikot-Bhawali road. He also sent a communication asking experts from IIT Roorkee to conduct an inspection of the site.
Meanwhile all traffic has been banned on the bridge for a period of seven days. The SSP also informed that the said stretch of the highway has been closed to traffic after the accident.
An alternate route is being used as this stretch will remain closed to traffic for seven days.