Bantwal: A gas tanker toppled during wee hours of April 19 at Surikumeru here. However, the credit of saving hundreds of lives goes to one auto driver, who was returning home.
Haneef, a local auto driver was on his way back home after dropping a passenger to Mani, when he saw the tanker topple at Surikumeru at 1 am. He went close to the tanker and realised that the gas leakage had started from the wrecked tanker.

“Sensing danger, I rushed to all the nearby houses, knocked their doors and informed about it and asked to shift to safer places,” he recalled.

The timely action of Haneef did turn out to be a divine blessing in the lives of the local residents.

The Surikumeru gas tanker mishap has reminded of the deadly gas explosion in Perne last year. A localite Abdul Khader narrating the incident said, “When we went to sleep after dinner, we heard a loud noise. Meanwhile, I heard someone loudly informing residents about gas leakage. I recalled the Perne incident and immediately ran out of the house.”

Melwyn Noronha, parish priest of St Joseph’s church reacting to the gas tanker mishap, said, “Even tough there is a rule that no tankers carrying gas should be allowed to ply from 6pm to 6am, there has been no end to these tankers on road. Due to over speeding and carelessness by these tanker drivers, such accidents are increasing. We have not yet forgotten the Perne gas incident. Due to greedy gas companies, several innocent lives are lost. District administration needs to take action in this regard.”

It may be recalled that a gas tanker toppled on the national highway 75 at Surikumeru near Kalladka here on April 19. Following gas leakage, more than 50 residents were shifted to safer places.  

Over 70 fire personnels from 6 service centres of Bantwal, Mangaluru, Kadri, Pandeshwara, Belthangady and Puttur managed to bring the leakage under control after 8 hour operation. The vehicular movement was stalled for a few hours and the police have made alternate arrangements for the traffic to move.