PUTRA HEIGHTS RESIDENTS REMAIN RESILIENT AND DETERMINED TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES

KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 (Bernama) -- Residents of Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, remain resilient and determined to rebuild their lives despite the devastating gas pipeline explosion and fire on April 1, which left many of them without homes and belongings.

Housewife Salbiyah Ariffin, 63, said she and her husband are committed to repairing the damage to their house, which they regard as a cherished haven.

“My husband is determined to fix the damage because this house is like our castle. The roof and the front garden were affected. Today, volunteers came to help clear the charred plants. 

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“I have disaster insurance for the house, so an insurance officer came by to carry out an assessment,” she told Bernama, expressing her gratitude to the volunteers who helped with the cleanup under Ops Mega today.

Bernama observed cleanup crews beginning to arrive at the site as early as 9 am to begin clearing the affected area.

The two-day Ops Mega, which started today, involves four zones: A, B, C, and D.

Salbiyah, who was celebrating Hari Raya with her children and grandchildren on that day, described it as the most terrifying experience her family had ever faced.

They were forced to jump into a river over two metres deep behind their house to escape the blaze.

“I tore a ligament in my leg when I jumped into the river. Now, I have to use a wheelchair because I can’t stand for long periods. The doctor said I’ll be able to walk again, but it will take time to recover.

“My three grandchildren were also safe after the jump. I will never forget what happened. We are deeply traumatised by the incident,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Baharudin Hamid, 56, a resident of Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, remains positive and is determined to move forward with his family, despite nearly half of his home being destroyed by the catastrophe.

He estimated that it would cost around RM400,000 to repair the damage, based on the amount he had previously spent renovating it.

“We just have to move on with life. We’ll rebuild and repair the house. So far, the damage is limited to only the living room and roof,” said Ahmad Baharudin.

He shared that the family was severely traumatised, especially his daughter, who still vividly recalls the flames raging right before her eyes. 

“So far, only my son and I have returned to inspect the house. My wife and daughter haven’t been back, they're still too traumatised,” he said.

His son, Ahmad Robani, 29, added that the Public Works Department and Fire and Rescue Department personnel had inspected the house to assess whether it was safe for occupancy. 

“We’re currently waiting for the government to carry out a damage assessment. For now, our family is staying at the temporary relief centre at Masjid Putra Heights until further notice,” said Robani, who works as an engineer at a private company.

Earlier, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari flagged off more than 4,000 personnel, comprising volunteers and members of various agencies, for the large-scale cleanup operation in the areas affected by the gas pipeline blaze in Putra Heights and Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru.

-- BERNAMA