Massive Chemical Tanker Explosion Paralyzes Jaipur-Delhi Highway; Fire Spreads Over One Kilometer
A massive chemical tanker explosion on the Jaipur-Delhi National Highway (NH-48) has sparked a kilometer-long fire in Rajasthan's Kotputli-Behror district. Emergency services are on-site battling the inferno near Paota after a collision between a tanker and a trailer caused a total traffic standstill. Read the full report on the NH-48 accident and the ongoing firefighting efforts.
The disaster unfolded when a tanker transporting a highly flammable chemical agent toward Delhi lost control and careened into an oncoming trailer. The impact was violent enough to overturn the tanker, causing an immediate and massive breach of its storage tank. As the volatile liquid spilled across the asphalt, it ignited into a ferocious inferno that raced along the highway, engulfing a nearly one-kilometer radius in a wall of flames and thick, toxic black smoke. The rapid spread of the fire created a scene of chaos as motorists abandoned their vehicles to escape the advancing heat.
Emergency response teams were dispatched to the site immediately after reports of the explosion surfaced. Pragpura Police Station In-charge, Bhajana Ram चौधरी, arrived on the scene with a specialized task force and a fleet of fire tenders to spearhead the containment operation. Recognizing the volatility of the chemical spill, law enforcement officials took the decisive step of suspending all traffic in both directions, cordoning off the area to prevent further casualties. Despite the arrival of multiple firefighting units, the sheer intensity of the chemical-fueled blaze has made the cooling process exceptionally difficult, with responders working tirelessly to prevent the fire from reaching nearby structures or stagnant traffic.
The aftermath of the collision has resulted in a complete logistical deadlock, with a multi-kilometer traffic jam paralyzing NH-48. This corridor serves as a vital lifeline for commercial goods and passenger travel between the capital and Rajasthan, and the closure is expected to have significant ripple effects on regional logistics throughout the day. While the primary focus remains on extinguishing the remaining hotspots and neutralizing the chemical residue, the incident underscores the persistent dangers associated with the transport of hazardous materials on major national highways and the critical need for rapid-response protocols in the face of industrial-scale accidents.

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