HOME AWAY PUTRA HEIGHTS RESIDENT THINKS GAS PIPELINE FIRE JUST CGI

KUALA LUMPUR,  April 3 (Bernama) -- A resident of  Putra Heights,  Siti Noor Lianna Misli, never expected the gas pipeline fire—where flames soared as high as a 20-story building— to erupt just less than 100 metres from her home.

Initially, she thought it was just a computer-generated image (CGI).

The woman was in her hometown in Melaka for Aidilfitri when her husband, Daeng Amir Hamzah, showed her a video of the fire that had gone viral on social media, dismissing it as fake, initially.

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"I thought it was CGI because a disaster like this has never happened in Malaysia.

"At first, the news reported that it was a Petronas gas station in Puchong, but when we looked at it again, our hearts sank—it was so close to our home," she said when met at the scene today.

Siti Noor Lianna, 48, had returned to retrieve important documents and her laptop but said the extent of her losses was still uncertain.

"Based on initial observations, the ceiling of my house has collapsed, the bathroom window is shattered, and my car is completely damaged due to the intense heat from the fire.

"Apart from the loss of property, we are also dealing with the emotional impact of this disaster,” she said and hoped that the government will expedite recovery assistance so that residents can rebuild their lives as soon as possible.

Her main concerns now are the safety of her home and the need to temporarily relocate to a rental property, as she is still paying off her housing loan.

“Apart from property loss, we also face emotional impact and got kids to manage,” she said, adding that she had asked her mother-in-law to help look after them for the time being.

Commenting on the safety of gas pipelines, Siti Noor Lianna said her experience living in the United Kingdom reassured her that underground gas pipeline systems are generally safe—provided that all guidelines are strictly followed and maintenance is carried out properly.

On Tuesday, Petronas confirmed that the fire, which broke out at 8.10 am, occurred in a main pipeline owned by Petronas Gas Berhad (PGB). The incident left a massive crater measuring 32 feet deep and approximately 70 by 80 feet wide at the site.

As of 8 am today, a total of 377 victims from 98 families remained at two relief centres  (PPS)—311 people from 84 families at the Putra Heights Mosque Hall and 66 people from 14 families at the Subang Jaya City Council Multipurpose Hall (Camelia Hall).

According to the Ministry of Health, the number of injured victims remains unchanged from yesterday, with 31 individuals receiving treatment at public hospitals in Putrajaya, Serdang, Klang, and Kuala Lumpur, while another 33 are being treated at private hospitals.

No fatalities have been reported.

-- BERNAMA