Jaipur, Dec 20 (IANS): A tanker carrying LPG gas caught fire near Pushparaj Petrol Pump in Bhankrota on Ajmer Road around 5:30 A.M. on Friday, causing widespread panic in the area.

The explosion was heard up to 10 kilometers away, terrifying local residents who were left wondering what had taken place.

Sources report that the fire was so intense that several vehicles within a 300-metre radius were engulfed and completely burned and there were repeated explosions as many of the fuel tanks burst.

Witnesses at the scene mentioned that the flames were visible from a distance.

Several drivers were reportedly burned in the incident, with some in critical condition. So far, 10 injured individuals have been admitted to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur in a critical condition.

Senior police and fire department officials responded promptly to the emergency, arriving at the site to contain the blaze.

Multiple fire trucks were deployed to battle the fire which was raging in all directions as many other vehicles were burning at the site.

Authorities also shut down the LPG pipeline running beneath the highway to prevent the fire from spreading further.

Locals believe the accident may have been caused by a technical malfunction in the tanker, though the exact cause will only be determined after an investigation.

The area has been cordoned off, and traffic on the highway has been halted.

Travelers are advised to take alternate routes. The highway remains closed following the blast and fire.

More than 30 ambulances and fire brigade vehicles were dispatched to the scene immediately.

Rescue operations have been challenging due to the spread of gas in the area.

As many as four people were burnt alive and 30 were critically injured as a truck hit a tanker full of chemicals in front of the Delhi Public School in Jaipur on Friday morning. The impact of the collision was such that the tanker burst and the chemicals spread all around and caught fire.

More than 20 vehicles caught fire in the accident on the Ajmer Highway. A sleeper bus running behind the tanker also got incinerated.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma reached SMS Hospital and spoke to the doctors regarding the condition of the injured.

The tanker full of chemicals caught fire after being hit by a truck near Pushparaj Petrol Pump near Bhankrota on Ajmer Road in the capital at around 5.30 A.M. on Friday.