At least two persons are feared killed and two more injured after a chemical tanker overturned and caught fire on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
The tragedy took place on a bridge near the ghat sections in Lonavala and resulted in a massive traffic snarl on the Mumbai-bound arm of the expressway.
Hundreds of litres of the unidentified chemicals seeped on the road, causing a risk of vehicles skidding and leading to more tragedies.
The tanker could be seen burning from afar with the flames reaching at least 15-16 metres in the air.
Local eyewitnesses said that at least two persons have perished in the tragedy, but official confirmation is awaited as efforts to douse the blaze are underway.
Meanwhile, the highway authorities have diverted the traffic via the Lonavala bypass towards Mumbai, though traffic towards Pune was proceeding smoothly.
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