Rautahat, Dec. 31 -- A gas tanker from India overturned on the East-West Highway on Tuesday morning, blocking traffic for 24 hours. Authorities finally cleared the road and reopened it by 7:30am on Wednesday, the traffic police office in Rautahat said.

The tanker, carrying LPG from Raxaul to Mahendranagar in Dhanusha under registration, overturned around 7:30am near ward 4 of Chandrapur. Its 21-ton load began leaking, creating a serious fire risk.

Six cranes were called to lift the tanker, but repeated attempts failed. Gas company technicians worked overnight. Experts advised emptying the gas first to make lifting possible.

The nearby high-tension transmission line raised additional fire concerns. The local administration contacted the...