Jaipur-Ajmer Highway Blaze: Over 40 Gas Cylinders Explode Following Road Accident

Jaipur, Oct 8: Panic erupted on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway on Tuesday night when over 40 LPG cylinders exploded following a collision between a chemical laden tanker and a parked truck carrying the cylinders.

Officials reported that the tanker driver was burnt alive, while another man sustained injuries in the incident. The explosions were so intense that flames and blasts were visible and audible from several kilometers away, with debris from the cylinders scattered metres around the site.

Jaipur Collector Dr Jitendra Soni said a team from Hindustan Petroleum safely removed all remaining cylinders, following strict safety protocols. “Scrap from 42 exploded cylinders was found in the area. Out of a total of 162 cylinders, 120 were intact and safely removed,” he stated.

The truck carrying the LPG cylinders was parked outside a roadside hotel when the tanker struck it. Moments after the collision, the cylinders began exploding, intensifying the fire. Authorities quickly halted traffic and dispatched police to secure the area. Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa visited the site to assess the situation.

Eyewitnesses suggested that the tanker driver lost control while attempting to avoid a Regional Transport Office (RTO) vehicle check, causing the collision. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

This is not the first such incident on the highway. In December last year, an LPG tanker collided with a truck near Bhankrota, triggering a massive fire that killed 19 people.

Authorities confirmed that the highway traffic has since been restored after the fire was controlled and safety measures were implemented.