ON the sixth day of operations, following the gas pipeline explosion and fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya authorities are focusing on draining the significant accumulation of rainwater from the fire crater.
This crucial step is required to resume safety evaluations at the site of the devastating blaze.
Speaking to Bernama this morning, Subang Jaya’s police chief, ACP Wan Azlan Wan Mamat, emphasised the importance of pumping out the water before proceeding with further assessments.
"This morning, our focus remains on the fire crater as there is still a large volume of water that needs to be pumped out before we can proceed with the usual safety evaluations," he said.
Selangor’s police chief, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, is scheduled to address the media at a press conference at 4 pm today at the site’s command post in Putra Heights.
Yesterday, Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad revealed that the final safety assessment at the crater is expected to be completed today. He confirmed that the findings will soon be presented to the Selangor State Disaster Management Committee.
The fire, which broke out at 8:10 a.m. last Tuesday, saw towering flames reaching more than 30 metres and temperatures soaring to 1,000 degrees Celsius. It took emergency teams nearly eight hours to bring the blaze under control.
The devastating inferno resulted in the complete destruction of 87 homes, rendering them uninhabitable, while 148 others sustained damage but are still considered livable after repairs.
As of yesterday, 509 families had registered at the temporary relief centre, although some victims are staying elsewhere. The number of registrations is expected to rise, as several residents were away during the incident, which occurred on the second day of Hari Raya.
Authorities have urged those who have not yet registered to do so by noon today to ensure they receive the necessary assistance. – April 6, 2025
