LPG cylinder-laden lorry topples in Ooty, traffic hit

According to police, the lorry carrying around 280 gas cylinders had reached a private gas godown in Babushaline area, in Ooty, on Monday. 

After a night halt, the driver Rajendran, from Nanjanadu had attempted to move the lorry on Tuesday morning to unload the cylinders. Due to heavy rains, the narrow road remained slippery. “When Rajendran drove the vehicle, a portion of the road gave away resulting in mud slide. Sensing trouble the driver, immediately jumped off the lorry. No sooner, the vehicle toppled down and rolled down on to another road in the other side,” police said. 

Following the incident, the gas cylinders spilled out on the road. Police said that an untoward incident was averted as the road was empty with no people, when the incident happened.  On receiving information, the fire and rescue personnel and Ooty police rushed to the spot and gathered the scattered cylinders, which were then sent to the godown though another vehicle. 

“It was a narrow escape for me, as I jumped off the lorry sensing mudslide along roadside. The soil, which loosened due to continuous rain, has triggered the mudslide unable to bear the weight of the lorry,” said driver Rajendran.