A chemical tanker overturned and caught fire near the Kanakapura toll plaza on Bengaluru’s NICE Road on Sunday afternoon, injuring the driver and his assistant and bringing traffic on both carriageways to a standstill for nearly 30 minutes.
The tanker was travelling towards Bengaluru from Anjanapur when one of its tyres burst, according to the police. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which overturned before catching fire.
The fire department’s control room received information about the incident at around 12.30 pm. Seven fire tenders were sent to the site to contain the blaze, officials said.
Firefighters brought the fire under control after more than one and a half hours. However, the operation took more than five hours in total because the tanker was carrying chemical solvents, which prolonged the effort to completely extinguish the flames.
The driver and his assistant escaped with minor injuries. No other casualties were reported in the incident, according to the police.
The fire and the emergency response caused heavy congestion on the NICE Road, with vehicles halted on both carriageways for close to 30 minutes. The disruption affected a key road connection near the Kanakapura toll plaza, where traffic had to be managed while fire crews worked at the scene.
Talaghattapura traffic police diverted vehicles to ease the congestion. Traffic movement returned to normal after the diversion and emergency response measures were completed, according to the report.
The incident highlights the operational challenges involved in responding to fires involving chemical-carrying vehicles on high-speed urban road corridors. Unlike a conventional vehicle fire, the presence of chemical solvents can extend firefighting operations and delay the reopening of the road, increasing the risk of prolonged traffic disruption.
The immediate response involved coordinated action by the fire department and Talaghattapura traffic police. Fire crews remained at the location until the flames were completely extinguished, while traffic personnel managed diversions and worked to restore movement on the road.
