A truck carrying 20 tons of caustic soda overturned at a ferry crossing in Shanghai Thursday afternoon. Ferry operations had to be suspended and power was cut.

The accident occurred at about 1:00 PM. Ten tons of caustic soda spilled onto the road, blocking traffic and the entrance to the Huangpu River ferry crossing. Ferry operation was suspended for one and a half hours.

As it overturned, the vehicle crashed into power equipment, causing a blackout in the area. However, no casualties were reported.

So far, traffic had resumed but the power supply had not been restored. An investigation into the accident is underway with speculation that the rainy weather could be a key factor.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2007)