KHON KAEN: Police and rescue workers managed to prevent a big petroleum gas explosion on a national highway in the northeastern province as a truck carrying six tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas leaked during its refill of another truck early Sunday morning.
The incident happened opposite a petrol station on Mitraparp Highway in Ban Nano of tambon Nong Nam Sai in Ban Phai district at 12.30am. Police cordoned off traffic within a two-kilometre radius of the site and firefighters showered the huge, leaking gas cylinder on the truck with water to prevent an explosion until the cylinder was empty.
Ban Phai district chief Pichai Wanta said the LPG truck had come from a gas storage site in Ban Hat district to refill another truck used for highway repair. During the refill, a bang was heard, LPG forcefully escaped from its cylinder and the unidentified gas truck driver ran away from the vehicle and called police for help.
After the gas had completely drained out, police reopened traffic on the highway. No one was injured in the incident.