Floodwaters sweep 3,000 LPG cylinders out of Maharashtra’s HPCL plant

Heavy monsoon rain caused flooding at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) LPG Bottling Plant in Patalganga, near Panvel in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, washing away around 3,000 LPG cylinders into the Patalganga River, officials said. Some of the cylinders were filled with gas while others were empty.

Videos of the cylinders floating downstream spread widely on social media, showing several locals wading into the swollen river to try to pull cylinders out despite the fast current. The Raigad district administration has strongly advised against this, saying anyone who finds a cylinder should not keep it or attempt to use it.

Residents have been asked to hand over any cylinders to HPCL, the nearest authorised HPCL distributor, or deposit them at the Tehsildar’s offices in Khalapur or Pen, or at the Sub-Divisional Officer’s office in Pen. Raigad District Collector Kishan Jawale appealed to residents to stay away from any cylinders found in the river or washed ashore.

The Raigad District Information Office also issued an alert on X asking anyone who finds a cylinder to inform authorities or return it through official channels. Officials said they are working to trace and recover the missing cylinders.