Presidential committee reveals reason for recent LPG-related incidents

The root cause for the recent domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder-related incidents in the country was a result of the change in the composition, the presidential committee appointed on the matter says.

Chairman of the said committee, Prof. Shantha Walpolage of the University of Moratuwa revealed this during a press conference held today.

Upon making inspections where the incidents were reported, the committee members had observed that there had been no change in the cylinders, regulators, rubber pipes, stoves and other equipment, Prof. Walpolage told reporters.

The final conclusion drawn by the committee is that the recent incidents were caused by the change in the composition of LP gas, he noted.

The committee handed over its final report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Prof. Walpolage, today (December 20).

The committee was appointed by the President on November 30 to look into the incidents that took place at domestic, commercial, and sales outlets in various parts of the country and to uncover possible causes of the problem in order to provide immediate solutions to the issue.

Accordingly, the committee prepared its report after taking into account the investigations carried out in 11 institutions including the on-site inspections and inquiries conducted on two major LPG companies, Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. and Laughs Gas PLC, an inspection of 17 places where fires and explosions occurred and considering the views received by e-mails.

Chaired by Prof. Shantha Walpola of the Moratuwa University, the committee also includes Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon, Prof. Ajith de Alwis of Moratuwa University, Prof. W.D.W Jayathilaka of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Prof. Pradeep Jayaweera, Commissioner of  Sri Lanka Inventors Commission Prof. Narayana Sirimuthu, Additional Director General of Industrial Technology Institute Dr. Sudarshana Somasiri and Senior Deputy Director (Technical) at Sri Lanka Standard Institute Sujeewa Mahagama.