Truck carrying explosive load overturns, Georgian village evacuated

Police evacuated a rural village after a truck carrying explosive substances crashed and overturned near the Rikoti Pass, a mountain range which divides Georgia’s east and west.

The incident occurred late at night on April 6 near the Khunevi village.

Officials said the truck was carrying a large amount of liquid oxygen and overturned at a sharp turn.

Firefighters, rescuers, patrol police and the Chemical, Radiological and Biological Incident Response unit of the Emergency Situations Management Agency attended the scene and secured the area.

For safety reasons, nearby villagers were evacuated from their homes and the road at the Rikoti Pass was temporarily blocked.

There was a possibility the liquid oxygen tanks could explode, so all safety precautions were carried out, officials said.

A few hours after the incident, the liquid oxygen was neutralised and any possibility of an explosion was eliminated.

The village population returned home and traffic movement was restored.

No one was injured in the incident.