Kochi, May 14 (UNI) People ran out of their homes in panic as a 10,000 kilo litre capacity oil storage tank, being pressure tested with water, collapsed at Vathurthy near here early this morning.

As thousands of litres of water stored in the tank gushed out with loud noise, people in the nearby houses rushed out in panic, fearing an oil leakage.

However, no one was injured in the incident, which took place around 0100 hrs, police said.

The tank, belonging to B R Petrochem, was being pressure-tested ahead of its commissioning. Another tank belonging to the company had collapsed in June last year while being tested. One person was killed in that mishap.

Police said a utility building of B R Petrochem was washed away in today’s mishap.

According to sources, the tank providentially collapsed on its southern side instead of the northern end, on which side several other storage tanks are located.

The Wellingdon Island Action Council, which has been agitating against the building of huge storage tanks close to crowded residential areas, said 40 such tanks of four private companies had come up in the area in recent years.

Council convener T R Sanu alleged that the tanks were not being built scientifically and warned that a major mishap could take place some day.

The tanks are being used to store edible oil, crude oil and chemicals such as benzene and methanol.