KOLLAM: A major disaster was averted when a diesel tanker lost control and rammed into a chapel alongside the National Highway in Kollam early on Friday. The diesel that spilled into the area was removed by the fire force and the police. The incident took place around 1.10 a.m. when the tanker that was heading towards Thiruvananthapuram crashed against the compound wall of the chapel of the Thuyyam Velankanni Mata church.
Diesel from one of the three containers in the tanker leaked and spread to the church compound and the highway. The traffic along the road was blocked before the fire fighters closed the leakage and washed off the diesel on the road. The parishioners also joined the rescue operations.
“We were distributing ginger coffee for long-trip drivers under a voluntary organisation ‘Track’ due to the Sabarimala pilgrimage season. We rushed to the spot within ten minutes of the accident and started rescue operations. The driver of the tanker had slept off causing the accident. There was no co-driver also,” Mr Rona Rebeiro, who was in the rescue team, told DC. Kollam traffic police charged a case against driver Sabu from Chalakkudy who suffered no injuries. Church vicar Jolly Abraham visited the spot.
