Vehicles overturn after crude oil leaks from road tanker

One of vehicles that overturned on the main highway in Ayutthaya in the early hours of Wednesday after crude oil leaked from a tanker carrying 38,000 litres to a refinery in Rayong. (Photo by Sunthorn Pongpao)

AYUTTHAYA: Several vehicles overturned on a highway in Phra Nakhon Luang district after crude oil leaked from a tanker carrying 38,000 litres to a refinery in Rayong province early on Wednesday morning.

No injuries were reported.

The road tanker was carrying crude oil from Kamphaeng Phet to a refinery in Rayong. It began leaking he oil near kilometre marker 25 on the Bangkok-bound Asia Highway after descending from a bridge cover the Pasak River in tambon Bo Luang about 3am, Pratheep Boriboonrat, head of the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, said.

The driver was not aware of the leak and continued along the road, leaving an oil slick about three kilometres long on surface before being stopped at kilometre marker 22 in tambon Hantra of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district.

Several vehicles travelling on the highway skidded off the road when they encountered the slick, and overturned. Fortunately, there were no injuries or deaths, he said.

Officials and workers were dispatched to clean up the road, which was reopened to traffic later on Wednesday morning.

Police were investigating. They said the owner of the oil tanker must take responsibility for the damage caused to the overturned vehicles.