THE investigation into the gas pipeline explosion that rocked Putra Heights on 1 April remains a complex and technically demanding process, Selangor Police Chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan revealed in an exclusive interview with ‘Podcast Utama Buletin TV3’.
He explained that multiple government agencies, including police and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), are involved in probing various angles of the incident—from possible sabotage or negligence to technical failure.
“The investigation is far from straightforward. It’s not simply a case of walking up to the scene and identifying whether a pipe was cut or tampered with. It’s much more complicated,” said Hussein.
He noted that the inquiry is being conducted on two fronts: a criminal investigation to determine if any foul play or carelessness occurred, and a technical evaluation by JKKP to assess if any internal faults led to the explosion.
Complicating matters further, he said, is the fact that the explosion significantly altered the structural landscape of the site, making it difficult to ascertain the pipe’s original condition.
“When the explosion occurred, everything changed. The position and condition of the pipe before the blast was different, but after the explosion, it became distorted. The site is no longer in its natural state,” he said.
“Was it caused by external interference or something internal within the system? That’s what needs to be examined thoroughly. This is not a pipeline lying on the ground that someone can tamper with—it’s buried more than five metres underground.”
The incident prompted an immediate response from emergency services. Hussein recounted how the police, fire department, and PETRONAS worked together to shut off gas flow by closing three separate valves.
“Initially, two valves were shut off at different points. However, the fire persisted for several hours. It wasn’t until a third valve, 24 kilometres away, was closed around 2am that the flames began to subside and were fully extinguished by 3.45am,” he said.
He added that the final decision to allow residual gas to burn off naturally came based on expert advice from the Fire and Rescue Department and PETRONAS.
The police investigation has since concluded, and authorities are now awaiting the final technical report from JKKP, expected by the end of the month.
Also featured in the podcast episode was Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Director Wan Md Razali Wan Ismail, who shared further insights into the challenges faced by first responders at the scene. - June 1, 2025
