A container truck carrying chemicals rammed into a tree near a crossing in Maharashtra's Thane city, damaging a streetlight pole and an autorickshaw and affecting traffic for about an hour. No person was injured in the accident reported at 11.31 pm on Sunday.
The tanker, heading from Dahej in Gujarat to Wagle Estate in Thane, lost control near the Teen Hath Naka and crashed into a roadside tree, Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi told the news agency PTI.
"A large branch of the tree fell on the container and then onto an autorickshaw moving ahead of it. The autorickshaw driver and the two passengers inside escaped without injuries. The three-wheeler's roof was, however, damaged due to the impact," he said. The fallen tree branch also hit a nearby streetlight pole, which then collapsed.
The truck was carrying polymer dispersions, a non-toxic and non-inflammable chemical used in textile finishing, paper and packaging coatings, and construction materials. After being alerted, the police, fire brigade and disaster management cell staff reached the spot.
Traffic on the Nashik-Mumbai route was halted for about an hour and diverted via the service road. Rescue personnel later removed the fallen tree branches, cleared the road, and restored normal traffic movement.