A tragedy was averted on Sunday after a leakage in a container of a train transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was detected near Bopodi. Fire brigade and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) officials stepped in to prevent any disaster .

The train was on its way from Mumbai to Bhilawadi, when the leak was detected. The railway administration immediately shut power supply to overhead cables in the Khadki-Bopodi stretch. Fire brigade rushed in. “The train was loaded at Uran. Around 8.20 am, leakage was reported at Khadki, following which railway officials contacted fire brigade and HPCL staff.

After inspection, they concluded that the leak was minor. The train was taken to Ghorpadi yard, where it was cleared after inspection,” DRM Prabhat Sahai said.

Railway officials said the train started from Mumbai early in the morning and railway officials smelt gas at Bopodi. They alerted the driver and the train was stopped. Fire brigade teams from Khadki Cantonment Board, Pune Cantonment Board, Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation reached the spot and tried to plug the leak in vain. Senior HPCL depot officials were called in.

At Ghorpadi, the leaking wagon was detached and the train continued its journey. Commuters at Khadki, Shivaji Nagar and Pune stations were asked to vacate the station when the train was passing through.

P Kanth, senior regional manager, HPCL said, “It was such a minor leak that it was not noticed when the train moved from Uran. There is also a chance of such leakage due to vibrations when the train moves. Railway officials did a good job in bringing the situation under control. HPCL staff reached the spot from Chakan.” Though it was not serious, given the inflammable nature of LPG, it was a cause of concern, said Kanth and added the wagon that sprang the leak was detached at Ghorpadi, a secluded yard with not many people staying around.

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