LPG Tanker mishap: Survivors recall Black Tuesday

LPG Tanker mishap: Survivors recall Black Tuesday

Mangalore Today News Network

Uppinangady , Apr 11, 2013: A day after an LPG tanker overturned here, burning alive eight people and critically injuring four,  traumatised residents are struggling to come to terms with the Tuesday’s mishap.

The LPG tanker that overturned left a trail of death and destruction near Perne, Uppinangady, on Tuesday. The fiery liquid rushes along the roadside. Balls of fire leapt to towering heights singeing entire coconut trees in the area. The inferno also reduced a house to cinders. Locals said at least three persons would have survived the inferno had it occurred a few minutes later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

 

Five-year-old Sunil’s mother had dropped off her son at the house of Vanitha (38) who usually took her son Chitesh (5) along with Sunil to school. While Chitesh was getting ready and Sunil waited there, the fire engulfed Vanitha’s house.

“All three were about to leave for school when the mishap occurred,” recalls Vanitha’s husband Narayan Naik who was waiting at a bus stand nearby to board a bus in search of a daily wage job.

He said all he saw was a huge ball of fire engulfing a couple of acres. “By the time I reached home, Vanitha, Chithesh and Sunil were charred to death,” he said fighting back his tears.

His two other daughters, Chithrakshi (14) and Chaithra (10), had left for school minutes ago.

Unlucky men
Besides tanker driver Cheluvaras (35), tailor Guruvappa (30) and Maruti Omni driver Vasanth, too, were unlucky as they were close to the mishap spot.

It is said Vasanth, who had initially ran for cover, later went back to bring his Omni van to a safe distance, but was caught in the flames. A few people have captured on their mobiles images of Vasanth running to safety even as fire engulfed him. He died in a hospital at night.

 

Video:

Shoba Rai (40) was washing clothes in front of her house when she was caught in the flames. Her two children had gone to school while her husband Sundar Rai, a bus conductor, was waiting for a bus at a nearby bus stand. “All I saw was a sound of explosion followed by a huge fireball,” he said.

As fate would have it, six of his family members, including his mother, were killed in 1998 on the day of his marriage, when the car they were travelling by collided with an LPG tanker at Uppinangady.

Kids survive
Khateejamma was not as lucky as her five children. Her four daughters and a son had gone to school and she was alone at home when fire swept through her house. Her husband Mohammed had deserted the family about six years ago.

As Khateejamma was unable to pay the house rent, the landlord stopped asking her for rent. Now, with no clues about their father, and the death of their mother, Khateejamma’s children are presently under one of her relatives’ care.

Vimala (30), an anganwadi teacher, was supposed to go to her childcare centre, but she suddenly thought of meeting her friend Indira (Sundar Rai’s brother Shankar Rai’s wife). But within minutes of her arrival, the mishap occurred right in front of their home. Sensing danger, Vimala and Indira ran for safety into the forest behind their home. But they were caught in the raging fire. Both are  undergoing treatment at private hospitals.

Behind Vimala’s house, two women, Hajeema (70) and Safiya (28), suffered burns. Besides them, Safiya’s sister-in-law Khairunnisa and her three-month-old baby were at home. Soon after the mishap, Khairunnisa ran for safety along with her baby.

Though she returned to take her mother-in-law Hajeema, it was late. Safiya stayed back with Hajeema to help her. Both are hospitalised.

Courtesy: Deccan Herald