International Journal of Engineering, Science and Mathematics (UGC Approved) Vol. 6 Issue 8, December 2017, ISSN: 2320-0294 Impact Factor: 6.765 Journal Homepage: http://www.ijesm.co.in, Email: ijesmj@gmail.com Double- Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories Indexed & Listed at: Ulrich's Periodicals Directory ©, U.S.A., Open J-Gate as well as in Caďell’s DireĐtories of Puďlishing Opportunities, U.S.A 185 International Journal of Engineering, Science and Mathematics http://www.ijesm.co.in, Email: ijesmj@gmail.com Accidents occurring during transportation of hazardous substances and modeling of their consequences by Tasneem Abbasi * 1 ,R. Ramyapriya 1 , S. M. Tauseef 2 , and S. A. Abbasi 1 1 Centre for Pollution Control & Environmental Engineering Pondicherry University, Chinakalapet Puducherry 605 014, India 2 Environmental Research Institute University of Petroleum and Energy Studies Dehradun 248 007, India Abstract A large number of process industries deal with reactants and products that are highly flammable and/or toxic. Such substances have to be transported to and from the industries in large quantities on a regular basis. If the automobile, train, or ship carrying such a substance meets with an accident, it may lead to the spilling of the substance and an escalation of the transportation accident into a chemical-related disaster as a consequence. It may also happen that a flammable substance gets leaked out, catches fire, and causes the carriage to suffer an accident which otherwise would not have occurred. In either situation great harm may be caused to the area where a transportation accident of this type takes place. This paper tracks the case histories of some of the major accidents involving transportation of hazardous substances and examines the models available to forecast the severity and the consequences of such accidents. Keywords: Flammable substances, toxic chemicals, accidents, transportation, consequence modeling 1. Introduction Petrol, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene are among the liquid/gaseous fossil fuels which are highly hazardous due to their flammability. But these substances have to be transported in very huge quantities from oil/gas wells to refineries to users round the clock throughout the world. Then there are industrial gases like chlorine and ammonia and liquids like oleum, nitric acid, and hydrochloric acid, which are highly toxic and corrosive. These also have to be transported in huge quantities either to the industries which use these chemicals or from the industries which manufacture these chemicals. Whereas storing and handling of such hazardous substances in any industry generates risk of accidents ─ explosions/fire/toxic release ─ the risk is heightened when such substances are to be transported (Birk, et al., 1990). Unlike the situation within an industry, where several systems of alarms, cushions, and buffers are installed to forewarn people of an accident and to contain the accident, no such layers of protection exist outside the industry on the routes along which hazardous substances are transported. A transportation accident involving a chemical takes the people of the area, where the accident occurs, completely by surprise (www.tunnelfire.com). Nor, unlike within industries, are experts available to handle the consequences of a transportation accident. Moreover, a transportation accident can cause other accident, or ‘domino effect’ For these reasons many chemical transportation accidents take a very heavy toll of lives.