BAHAWALPUR: Another oil tanker on Thursday overturned on the national highway between Channigoth and Taranda Panah, about 84-km from here, creating panic in the area and forcing the police to stop vehicular movement.

According to Muhammad Akram of Ahmedpur Sharqia Rescue 1122, the oil tanker carrying 40,000 litre petrol was on its to Shershah from Karachi. Near Kachi Muhammad Khan located between Taranda and Channigoth, it collided with a container, which after a refill at a filling station was approaching the road. Oil tanker driver Muhammad Tariq could not control the vehicle and it overturned and its fuel spilled onto the ground.

After receipt of information, Rescue 1122 from Ahmedpur Sharqia and Liaquatpur, personnel of National Highway and Motorway Police rushed to the scene, cordoned off the area and stopped the leakage.

Akram said traffic was diverted to nearby road to Khanpur.

He said a crane was brought from nearby construction area (M-5 Sukkur-Multan motorway section) to lift the tanker while its front portion was separated.

It merits mentioning that since the June 25 incident of Ahmedpur Sharqia, it was the third accident of oil tanker crash on the highway surrounding the areas of Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

Our Rahim Yar Khan correspondent adds: The driver of oil tanker of Pakistan State Oil (LS-696 Balochistan) was [allegedly] dozing.

Rahim Yar Khan Deputy Commissioner Socrat Aman Rana along with others reached the spot and monitored rescue activities.

In Gujrat, two oil tankers had a head-on collision on the GT Road bypass near Jamna Chowk on Thursday. No loss or leakage [of fuel] was reported.

Rescue 1122, police and district administration staff reached the spot and cordoned off the area whereas traffic on GT Road went out of gear.

A rescue official said front cabins of both the tankers were badly damaged in the collision. He said traffic was restored after both the vehicles were removed from the site.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2017