MADURAI: An accidental gas leak occurred near Aruppukottai on Madurai-Tirunelveli Bypass Road in Virudhunagar district after a truck rammed into a medical gas carrier.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday when the truck driver lost control and hit the rear end of the stationary gas carrier, sources said.

In the impact, Oxygen gas started leaking and after noticing smoke spewing out from the carrier, the Fire and Rescue Services Department was alerted.

Virudhunagar District Fire Officer M Chandra Kumar, when contacted said, the incident happened at around 4 am, and 15 brigades from Aruppukottai Fire Station and private water tender rushed to the spot to put out white plumes of smoke.

The 16-tonne medical gas carrier vehicle was on its way to Thoothukudi. After inquiring, the DFO said the gas carrier was parked along the roadside and the truck, which carried decorative items from North India, rammed from behind.

The firefighters by using the spreader tool exhausted the gas safely and the leaked gas was cooled down. It took hours for the brigades to put out the smoke after emptying the gas carrier. The efforts lasted till 8 pm, the DFO said.