Kheda: Authorities have restored normal visibility on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Highway in Kheda district, Gujarat, following a hazardous incident involving a tanker carrying acid.
The tanker, which contained Olium (a hazardous chemical compound), overturned into a deep pit on Tuesday evening, causing a significant reduction in visibility over a 12-kilometer stretch of the highway. The tanker, which was headed towards Ahmedabad, made an incorrect turn, resulting in the accident. No injuries were reported, and the incident prompted the evacuation of nearby villages as a precautionary measure.
Kheda District Collector Amit Prakash Yadav explained that the tanker’s contents created a dangerous vapor cloud, which caused the reduced visibility. As a safety measure, vehicle movement on the highway was temporarily halted. “This acid is Olium, H2S2O7, a highly hazardous substance,” he added. The situation was swiftly managed with the assistance of local municipal corporations and private companies.
Firefighters from Nadiad, Ahmedabad, and Vadodara worked together to control the smoke and neutralize the situation by applying foam and water to the site. A total of four water tankers and two emergency fire tenders were dispatched from the two cities.
Fireman Ashok Sharma noted that while no major injuries occurred, one person was taken to the hospital for precautionary checks after being exposed to the smoke. “When we arrived at the scene, the area was empty, but I was informed that one person was brought to the hospital,” he said.
The highway was briefly closed due to the incident, but the situation has now been resolved, and visibility on the route has returned to normal.