A major tragedy was narrowly averted at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) LPG bottling plant in Parippally, Kollam, after a recklessly driven car crashed into a high-security area housing bulk gas tankers late in the evening on Friday.

Breach of high-security zone
The incident occurred around 8:30 pm when approximately 20 LPG bullet tankers were parked in the plant yard, awaiting unloading into the primary storage facility. Witnesses reported that the car sped past the entry gates and barged straight into the restricted zone, creating panic among workers and security staff. The vehicle collided with the parked tankers, but fortunately, it did not hit the critical safety valves, preventing a catastrophic gas leak or explosion.

Disaster narrowly missed
Each bullet tanker carries between 15 and 18 tonnes of LPG, enough to supply gas for five distribution trucks holding 342 cylinders each. Given the vast volume of inflammable gas present inside the facility, even a minor spark or valve rupture could have caused massive devastation across surrounding residential areas.

While the tankers sustained minor surface damage, the front portion of the car was heavily wrecked in the impact.

Youths taken into custody
Security personnel at the facility rushed to the scene immediately and apprehended the car's occupants after the vehicle ground to a halt. The suspects, reportedly residents of Kalakkodu near Paravoor, were handed over to the Parippally police for questioning.

Meanwhile, Mylakkad Sunil, president of the INTUC LPG Employees Union, demanded a comprehensive investigation into the severe security lapse and the circumstances surrounding the incident.