Pudukad (Thrissur): Train services were disrupted for nearly an hour on Friday afternoon after a truck loaded with LPG cylinders rammed into a railway gate here, bringing down live power lines.

The incident took place around 12.30 pm when the vehicle, transporting Bharat Petroleum's gas cylinders from Kochi, hit the gate as it was closing to allow the Parasuram Express to pass. The impact snapped the gate, causing it to fall onto high-voltage electric lines and triggering sparks.

A major tragedy was narrowly averted as the fire did not spread to the gas cylinders. The driver, initially unaware of the situation, attempted to move forward but was stopped by locals, who quickly alerted him to the danger. The truck was then moved back to safety.

Railway contract workers soon reached the spot and cleared the damaged gate from the power lines. Rail traffic in both directions was halted for about an hour before a team from the Chalakudy railway engineering division restored services by around 2.30 pm.

Road traffic on the Pudukad–Irinjalakuda and Urakam routes was also briefly affected due to the collapsed gate.