Putra Heights gas fire: Like a war zone

On the second day of Aidilfitri, social media was no longer abuzz with festive celebrations but instead flooded with shocking images and videos of the disaster -- residential areas covered in dust, charred trees and grass, and vehicles reduced to burnt wrecks, leaving Malaysians in disbelief.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussien Omar Khan said 364 victims from 74 families were affected by the fire at Jalan Putra Harmoni, which saw flames reaching over 100 feet (30 metres) high and temperatures soaring to 1,000 degrees Celsius.

Speaking at a press conference at the Incident Control Post (PKTK) in Subang Jaya on Tuesday, Hussien said thorough inspections and safety assessments of the affected units would begin on Wednesday before residents could return home.

According to Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad, 325 personnel from 11 agencies battled the blaze for over seven hours before the fire was finally extinguished at 3.34 pm.

Nor Hisham said the likelihood of secondary explosions was very low, as no gas flow was detected after the closure of four main valves in Kampung Lombong, Puchong, Batu Tiga, Shah Alam, and Klang earlier today.

However, firefighters will remain on standby in the affected area for the next 20 hours to monitor and respond to any potential developments.

During a visit to the site, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced immediate aid of RM5,000 for homeowners whose properties were completely destroyed.

He also pledged RM2,500 in assistance for more than 100 homeowners whose properties were partially damaged. He assured the victims that the federal and Selangor governments, together with Petronas, would take full responsibility for restoring the affected housing area.

His wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, also visited victims receiving treatment at Hospital Sultan Idris Shah, Serdang.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bandar Tun Razak, arrived at 4.46 pm and spent about an hour checking on the victims and speaking with families gathered at the hospital.

According to the Ministry of Health, as of 6 pm, a total of 100 victims were receiving treatment at several hospitals across the Klang Valley, including 14 at Hospital Putrajaya, Hospital Sultan Idris Shah, Serdang (28 patients), Hospital Cyberjaya (25), Hospital Ampang (one) and Hospital Kajang (two).

Additionally, 30 victims were being treated at four private hospitals, including 22 at Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Thomson Hospital (one), Avisena Specialist Hospital (five) and Columbia Asia Hospital, Bukit Rimau (two).

For many families, beyond medical aid, the urgent need is for basic necessities such as clothing and food, as most victims fled their homes with only the clothes on their backs.

The disaster has also highlighted Malaysians' spirit of solidarity, with various places of worship stepping up to assist. The Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple and Masjid Al Falah USJ 9 were turned into temporary treatment centres, while Masjid Nurul Iman and Masjid Putra Heights were designated as temporary evacuation centres (PPS).

Insurance companies Takaful Malaysia and Etiqa Malaysia also stepped forward, urging affected policyholders to contact them for assistance.

Meanwhile, the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and its members have advised those impacted with existing loans to reach out to their respective banks to discuss possible support.

-- BERNAMA