Fire victims urged to file police reports for assistance, RA awaits results

VICTIMS of the gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights have been urged to file police reports to facilitate the investigation and the distribution of aid.

Kota Raja Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu emphasised the importance of these reports in ensuring proper follow-up actions and the delivery of assistance to those affected.

“We urge all those impacted by the fire to lodge reports detailing the damage, losses, and other relevant issues. The police have opened additional counters to make this process easier,” Mohamad told reporters following his visit to the Incident Command Post (PKTK) in Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, today.

Subang Jaya police chief ACP Wan Azlan Wan Mamat reported that, as of yesterday, the police had received 66 reports from victims, the majority of which concerned damage to homes and vehicles.

The fire, which occurred at 8:10 am on Tuesday, was confirmed by Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to have originated from the main pipeline owned by Petronas Gas Bhd (PGB). It took nearly eight hours to bring the blaze under control, and a massive crater, 32 feet deep and measuring approximately 70 by 80 feet, was left at the site.

Mohamad Sabu, who also serves as Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, explained that affected homeowners began returning to their properties in stages today for inventory inspections.

During this process, they are being escorted by police, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department personnel, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) staff.

The fire has left 485 people affected, with 33 still receiving medical treatment in hospital.

Putra Heights residents hold off on legal action

Meanwhile, residents of Putra Heights are refraining from pursuing legal action following the recent gas pipeline explosion, opting instead to wait for the completion of official investigations.

Putra Harmoni Residents' Association secretary, who wanted to be known only as Lau, explained, "Our primary focus is ensuring that our housing remains safe and that the incident site is thoroughly inspected before residents are allowed to return."

"For now, we are leaving the matter to the authorities to conduct their investigations before we consider any further action," he added.

The association's deputy chairman, Francis Koh, echoed these sentiments, telling New Straits Times: "Residents have not received much information since the incident, and involving us in these meetings will help us keep everyone updated."

One local resident, 48-year-old Daim Amir Hamzah, shared, "We are still waiting for information from the authorities. It's not yet at the point where we feel the need to take further action."

Meanwhile, another resident, 33-year-old Nur Amirah Mohd Muslimin, said, "While the idea of legal action is on our minds, we are not at that stage yet. We are waiting for updates on the investigation's progress." – April 3, 2025