KARACHI, Dec 15: A major disaster was averted at the terminal “B” of the Keamari oil terminal on Sunday when 22,000 litres of naptha, a highly inflammable oil product, was drained away which spilled over the area from a leaking stationary oil tanker.

The fire brigade, with the help of police and Edhi volunteers, drained away the spilled naptha.

When the oil tanker of a private contractor carrying naptha from Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) in the NWFP arrived at the Keamari oil terminal, naptha began leaking from the tanker, sources said.

The Pakistan State Oil provides the ARL storage facility for its products under an agreement. As the operation at the PSO terminal is closed on Sundays, the driver of the oil tanker, who had parked the vehicle in Shireen Jinnah Colony, informed the Rangers that naptha was leaking from the tanker and was spilling over.

The Rangers, the sources said, took the oil tanker to the terminal “B” of the PSO and asked the security guards to open the gate and allow the tanker to unload the oil product into storage tanks.

The security guards at the terminal told the Rangers personnel that they had no permission to allow the tanker to enter the terminal premises. They advised the Rangers personnel to take the oil tanker to a deserted place as the leakage might lead to a major disaster.

However, the sources said, the refusal of the security guards to open the gate provoked the rangers personnel, who beat the security guards and forced them to open the gate. The security guards, who suffered minor injuries, opened the gate and the tanker was allowed to enter the terminal premises, where the naptha was unloaded.

By the time the tanker was allowed to enter the terminal “B” nearly 22,000 litres of naptha had spilled over the area, the sources claimed.

Four fire tenders were called in. They sprayed the spilled naptha with foams and began draining it into an underground tank. The operation, which began at 4pm, was continuing till our going to press.

Police cordoned off the area.

The All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association said since they were not fully aware of the situation, they could not comment on the matter.

A spokesman for the PSO said: “The situation was forced on the PSO. The matter is being taken up with the Attock Refinery and it is also being investigated.”

The sources said high officials of the PSO had taken up the action taken by the Rangers at the gate of the terminal “B” with high government officials.