the goan I network
VASCO
Some people were hospitalised for observation while hundreds of people had to be evacuated from their homes, following a massive leakage of the highly hazardous ammonia from a tanker which toppled along the airport road at Chicalim in the wee hours of Friday.
According to reports, the incident took place at about 2.30 am as the tanker (GA-06-T-2864) was carrying about 15 tonnes of ammonia from the port to the Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited.
It is learnt that the driver, Dada Vittal Chaudhary from Pune but presently staying at ZACL Colony, tried to avoid a tourist taxi which suddenly came in the way and slammed the brakes to avert a collision. The heavily loaded vehicle hit the road divider and veered off the road, before toppling to its side.
Within moments, the ammonia began to leak from the cargo and thick toxic fumes engulfed the vehicle and began to spread around the area.
Realising the danger to residents in the area, Chaudhary immediately alerted the fire headquarters in Panaji and also notified ZACL officials, who rushed to the site along with a ZACL fire tender.
A Vasco fire brigade rushed to the site at about 2.45 am but the six firefighters were not aware of the massive leakage. The fumes were such that the fire personnel from Vasco and ZACL couldn’t see each other with the thick cloud surrounding the tanker.
Sensing a major tragedy, the Vasco fire brigade alerted other fire stations and nine fire tenders rushed to the site. Two fire tenders from ZACL, one from MPT, two from Vasco fire station, three from Panaji fire station and one from Verna fire station rushed to control the ammonia leakage.
The disaster management was alerted and Deputy Collector Mahadev Arondekar and Mamlatdar Satish Prabhu were also immediately informed about the incident.
Sensing that ammonia would soon spread around and cause breathing problems to residents in the area, the fire fighters and police began knocking on the doors of all houses. However, the residents who were either fast asleep or too scared and refused to open the doors.
When Arondekar was informed that people were reluctant to open their doors, he immediately released evacuation orders and directed all fire tenders and police PCRs to blare their sirens collectively to alert people about the impending danger.
Calls were also made to prominent citizens to inform them about the leaking ammonia. At about 3.30 am, the evacuation exercise began and many residents, who were directed to walk with a wet handkerchief on their nose, moved to safe locations like the airport, while some were shifted to ZACL club. Others also left for safer destinations in their vehicles. A few were moved to a hospital after they complained of uneasiness.
Traffic was disrupted along the route for several hours and vehicles were diverted along internal roads as a total of 34 firefighters battled for nine hours to control the leaking ammonia.
The Momurgao Talathi also reached the site after he was intimated of the accident by ZACL officials.
According to Talathi Amresh Naik, he got a call at 3.05 am and he immediately informed Deputy Collector Mahadev Arondekar, who quickly granted permission to begin the evacuations.
Talathi informed the media at about 4.30 am and also informed local councillors and panchayat members. “A few people who were complaining of uneasiness were shifted to Cottage Hospital in ambulances,” said Naik.
Among the several officials present at the site to monitor the situation included Deputy Collector and SDO Vasco, Mormugao, Mahadev Arondekar, Mamlatdar Satish Prabhu and Joint Mamlatdar Vinod Dalal along with fire officials led by Director Dr Ashok Menon and SP Arvind Gawas, SP Traffic South Dinraj Govekar, Additional Collector South Agnelo Fernandes, DySP Sunita Sawant and PI Nolasco Raposo, PSI Shivram Gavas, ZACL CMO R S Chugg and ZACL PRO Anand Rajadyaksha.
The Collector also directed all the four schools within the vicinity “ Regina Mundi School, Navy Children School, Vidhya Mandir School and pre-primary school to remain close as precautionary measures.
The driver was later booked under Sections 279, 336 of IPC for driving in a rash and negligent manner.
