3,000 LPG cylinders floating in Mumbai floods recreates Pushpa scene, internet reacts — “It’s not sandalwood, it’s…” | Today’s news
In one shocking rain-related incident, floodwaters washed away 3,000 LPG cylinders in Mumbai. As torrential rainfall continues to batter the financial capital, a major industrial crisis has hit the area after the containment wall of the HPCL LPG bottling plant collapsed due to heavy downpour in Raigad.
A video is doing the rounds on social media showing dozens of LPG gas cylinders floating in the Patalganga river on the Mumbai-Goa highway. The river swelled after incessant rains in Khalapur taluka. The incident reportedly happened at the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) plant in Chavan, Panvel taluka.
The Internet is responding
A social media user wrote: “Straight out of the movie Pushpa, except it’s not sandalwood, it’s LPG cylinders. Flash #flood in #Raigad #Maharashtra sweeps away hundreds of empty HPCL LPG cylinders after heavy rain sends torrents of water into a factory in Chavane village.”
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“3,000 gas cylinders in the river. The advisory tells the public not to touch them. That’s pretty decent. The harder question lies upstream: how does a bottling plant flood so easily that her yard spills into the water?” another remarked.
A third commented, “This scene reminds me of Pushpa Movie.” A fourth remarked: “How sloppy.”
Khalapur Police Inspector (PI) Abhijit Bhujbal confirmed the incident to ANI. After the accident, the district administration urged the public to exercise maximum caution.
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Raigad District Collector Kishan Jawale also issued a statement in this regard and warned the residents living on the banks of the river. “If any gas cylinder is seen in the river or along its banks, do not under any circumstances touch it or attempt to move it or take it home,” ANI quoted the Collector as saying.
What did the administration say?
Raigad District Information Office posted on X. “Important Notice | Raigad. Due to heavy rains, around 3,000 LPG cylinders (filled and empty) from HPCL Patalganga LPG Bottling Plant (Chawne, Panvel) were washed into Patalganga River.— District Collector Kishan Javale.”
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“Citizens should not keep such bottles with them or try to use them if found. They should immediately deposit them with HPCL, nearest HPCL dealer, Tehsildar (Khalapur/Pen) office or Sub-Divisional Officer, Pen office,” he added.
Management emphasized the serious danger of missing pressure cylinders, saying that their technical condition and gas content cannot be determined after the flood has swept away. It warned that any attempt to handle or tamper with the cylinders could cause a major gas leak or explosion, posing a significant threat to life and property.
“A search operation is currently underway for the missing pressure cylinders by the administration, disaster management department and the concerned company,” the administration said.
Authorities advised residents to stay away from any suspicious pressure cylinders and to immediately notify local police or disaster management if they see one. Search teams are continuing to monitor the flow of the Patalganga river in an effort to retrieve the missing pressure cylinders and avert any accidents.
