As part of an outrageous turn of events following the monsoon season in the Indian state of Maharashtra, around 3,000 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders got washed away from the bottling plant to the furious flows of the Patalganga River. It happened in the HPCL Patalganga LPG Bottling Plant due to torrential rains, which were occurring in the district of Raigad for several days.
The shocking footage captured by locals from the bridge in the vicinity clearly shows the flow of thousands of red cylinders being rapidly carried away downstream.
Flash floods break factory protective wall
According to the district officials, the reason for the catastrophe was that the protective wall of the HPCL plant broke from the extreme pressure exerted by the accumulated waters.
3,000 LPG cylinders washed into Patalganga river
As the protective wall crumbled, the water surge instantly flooded the holding yards of the compound and swept out thousands of cylinders from the premises to the Patalganga River and the Kharpada Creek.
Explosive hazard
With the cylinders floating down the river towards the bankside where citizens live, Raigad Collector Kishan Javle came up with a warning regarding the danger posed by these objects. He warned the citizens about the hazardous nature of handling the cylinders since they might be filled with gas.
“There is no guarantee whether the cylinders washed into the river contain gas or whether they are in a safe condition. Picking them up, opening them, or taking them home out of curiosity or for use could be extremely dangerous,” the collector said.
Authorised collecting points
The local authorities have imposed an absolute ban on storing these articles by the citizens themselves. If the citizens come across the floating cylinders, they should report the finding to the authorities immediately by depositing the cylinders at any of the following collecting centers:
- From the point of origin: The HPCL Patalganga Bottling Plant.
- Nearby network of collection centers: Any retail/wholesale HPCL distribution center.
- Administrative desk: The Khalapur Tehsildar Office or the adjacent regional Tehsildar Office.
- Executive desk: The Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Office of the locality.
Raigad continues to be one of the worst affected districts in Maharashtra even after a week of continuous monsoon rains, which have resulted in several rivers being flooded and coastal regions experiencing heavy flooding. Rescue teams have been rushed to the rescue of these riverways to salvage the floating business assets to avoid any further danger.
Bureau Report
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