05/04/2025

SATURDAY | APR 5, 2025

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Cops reveal excavation work stopped two days prior to blast

Selangor offers temporary homes to affected residents KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor Housing and Real Estate Board has agreed to offer more than 100 houses as temporary homes for victims of the fire, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. He said the houses are in Kota Warisan, Sepang, and those in other locations would be part of the Selangor Smart Sewa scheme. He said the locations of the Smart Sewa and Airbnb houses would be finalised in a week or two. He was speaking at the Putra Heights Mosque temporary relief centre for the fire victims yesterday. Present were Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Selangor Investment, Trade and Mobility Committee chairman Ng Sze Han. Amirudin said 115 houses have been identified as safe to be reoccupied. “This second group of victims will be allowed to return to their homes today after technical authorities confirm that their homes are safe to be occupied and the utility services have been reconnected.” – Bernama The curtailment follows the closure of four city gate stations in the affected area. – By DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM members quickly escaped on motorcycles. “Thank God we had motorcycles. All six of us rode out because even within seconds we could feel the heat.” Azril said they were later instructed to move to the relief centre. He added that while his family has insurance, they are uncertain if they can make a claim. “We do have insurance for the house, but I’m still unsure if it covers fire damage of this scale. “We’ll have to check with the agent and go through the process, but looking at the condition of the house, it might end up being a total loss.” All the affected residents are staying at the Putra Heights Mosque temporary relief centre. Gas supply to several areas reduced PETALING JAYA: Following the recent incident at Putra Heights, Gas Malaysia has implemented a gas supply curtailment for several areas in the Klang Valley. Customers in Shah Alam, Kundang, Petaling Jaya, Teluk Panglima Garang, Pelabuhan Klang, Pulau Indah and surrounding regions are among those affected. Gas Malaysia said the company is working closely with gas suppliers and relevant authorities to minimise disruptions. “Affected customers have already been notified, and Gas Malaysia is committed to providing continuous updates as the situation progresses,” it said in a statement. It added that its pipeline network and gas facilities are secure, with all necessary precautions in place to maintain safety standards. It said the company’s management has been in communication with stakeholders and is actively monitoring the situation.

been lodged. “So far, 56 witnesses, including residents and the contractor have been called to have their statements recorded.” Hussein said one key witness, a security guard at the shoplot project, has also been identified by police. On April 1, a catastrophic gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights resulted in a huge fireball, with some 200 houses affected by the inferno. The blaze, which occurred at 8.10am, affected a total of 1,254 people from 308 families. Eighty-seven homes were completely destroyed and rendered uninhabitable, while 148 homes sustained damage but are considered liveable after repairs are undertaken.

He said there are three gas pipelines beneath the explosion site. “One of them broke and caused a big explosion.” However, he added that further investigations are necessary to identify whether the excavation works at the project site caused the explosion. Hussein said due to the instability of the affected site, a full report on the cause of the incident is expected to be made public in two weeks. “Currently, the focus is to stabilise the explosion site and to retrieve the excavator that sank.” He confirmed that no bodies were found at the site at press time, and no missing person reports have

o Excavator used at development area sank into hole created by explosion, says Selangor police chief

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

the blast. He said work using an excavator and backhoe was being carried out and had stopped on March 30. “The explosion caused a massive hole about 8m deep and 70m wide. The (integrity) of the site was impacted by the explosion and is not stable at the moment.” Hussein was speaking at a media conference yesterday at the blast site command centre in Jalan Harmoni, Putra Heights.

SUBANG have confirmed that excavation works were being carried out at the explosion site in Putra Heights prior to the blast that occurred there on April 1. Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said yesterday that an excavator used at the site had sunk into a crater created by JAYA: Police

RIDE RELIEF ... A resident signing documents to take delivery of a vehicle as part of assistance to those affected by the Putra Heights fire. – BERNAMAPIC

Residents recount harrowing experience of Putra Heights inferno

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL AND KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“I know the government has promised to help with aid, but I don’t know if I will feel safe staying there any more. “There’s a lot to consider, but right now, I’m still in shock. I just hope something good comes out of this for us. “Relocation may be difficult, but I’m optimistic that things will get better. I just have to wait for what the authorities decide. For now, I’m just grateful to be with my family.” Muhammad Azril Zool Kapli, 25, who lives nearby, also shared his experience. “We heard a loud sound that morning. The explosion happened only about 200m away. We were woken up by it and immediately felt the heatwave.” He said he and his five other family

39, who lives in the same village, was not home when the explosion occurred. “I was in Sabah when it happened. My neighbour broke the news to me, and our Raya mood completely vanished. It was devastating to hear, and I felt helpless being so far away.” When he received the news on the second day of Aidilfitri , Shoffri immediately booked a ticket to return home. “When I arrived, we were not allowed to enter and were immediately relocated to a temporary relief centre. I didn’t even get the chance to see my house, but from the videos my neighbours sent me, the damage was severe.” He said he is afraid to continue living in the area due to the presence of the gas pipeline.

instant. As soon as it happened, we could feel the heat. We were scared and had no idea what to do. All six of us, including my one-year-old, had no choice but to jump into the river to escape. “It was so close, and we were terrified it would spread to our house. I didn’t even have time to think. I just grabbed my baby and jumped,” she told theSun . Although the fire did not directly reach her home, the intense heat caused significant damage. “A lot of things were burned just from the heat. It’s scary to think about going back. I’m not sure if I can live there any more. “But at the end of the day, I’m just thankful that my family is safe. That’s what matters most,” Nisa said. Another resident, Shoffri Mohd Isa,

SUBANG JAYA: Residents of the recent gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights say they are unsure whether they can ever feel safe again in their homes after the massive inferno that affected their neighbourhood. Nisa Mahmud, 38, from Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, Puchong, which borders the site of the explosion, recounted the terrifying moments when the fire broke out. Nisa, whose house is located near a riverbank, described the unbearable heat during the blast. “The heat from the flames was so intense that we had to evacuate immediately and jump into the river. “It wasn’t minutes later, it was