Year
2001
File Attachment
33212.PDF35.12 KB
Abstract
A tanker which was transporting ten metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas enriched with propylene overturned on an urban fly-over and started leaking. Because of the heavy initial leak, the tanker could not be approached though experts reached the scene with all necessary protective gear within an hour of the accident. The situation could be brought under control many hours after the accident occurred. The gas is highly inflammable. Persons living as far away as ten kilometers complained of the odour. Public living within a radius of three kilometers were directed not to light matches or operate electric switches. Traffic over three major roads leading to the accident spot and over a suburban railway route was closed for over 24 hours. This accident is compared with a postulated accident involving an identical tanker transporting 10 tons of a radioactive liquid of the maximum activity that could be permitted to be transported in the tanker. The paper demonstrates on the basis of calculated values of the radiation dose that the counter measures warranted under identical accident conditions are simpler for the radioactive consignment than the hazchem consignment..