Following the incident, a large quantity of diesel spilled onto the road. Amid the chaos, numerous locals rushed to the spot with buckets and containers to collect the spilled diesel despite the risk of fire. Chaos ensued in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh when a tanker carrying approximately 14,000 litres of diesel lost control and overturned on the road. The incident took place in the district’s Markundi Valley around 7 am on Thursday (Oct 8).
Upon receiving news of the accident, police and fire brigade teams arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. The tanker was reportedly transporting the diesel from Mughalsarai to Odisha. Seeing the diesel flowing, many motorists and locals gathered at the spot. Videos circulating on social media showed the men and women filling buckets and containers with the fuel. Upon being informed, the in-charge of the Gurma police outpost arrived at the scene with a police team. Those collecting the diesel fled the spot as soon as they saw the police. Police and fire personnel brought the situation under control and restored normal traffic flow. The tanker driver, Pawan Kumar, sustained minor injuries in the accident. A traffic jam persisted in Markundi Valley for about half an hour following the accident.
Anticipating the risk of fire due to the diesel spilled on the road, the police immediately summoned the fire brigade. The tanker overturned after losing control due to a sudden brake failure, according to the driver.
