PUTRA HEIGHTS DISASTER: FINAL SAFETY CHECK AT GROUND ZERO TOMORROW

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 (Bernama) -- Final safety assessment at ground zero of the Putra Heights gas pipeline disaster is expected to be completed tomorrow.

Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department Director-General Datuk Nor Hisyam Mohammad said the findings would then be presented to the Selangor Disaster Management Committee.

“This final assessment only covers the crater site itself (ground zero) and does not include areas where infrastructure was affected. We are also currently conducting water extraction operations at the crater site following overflow due to yesterday’s rain,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

Yesterday, Selangor Police Chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the preliminary technical investigation report on the cause of the fire and gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya last Tuesday is expected to be ready within two weeks.

Hussein said the impact of the massive explosion had altered the original structure and landscape of the area, rendering it unstable.

The fire at the Petronas gas pipeline, which occurred at 8.10 am on Tuesday (April 1), saw flames soaring over 30 metres high with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius, and it took nearly eight hours to be completely extinguished.

A total of 87 houses have been declared as "total loss” in the aftermath of the disaster while 148 other affected houses that sustained damage are deemed to be safe and can be occupied after repairs.

More than 300 people were displaced and are being sheltered at two relief centres. However, no fatalities were reported.

-- BERNAMA