Selangor fire: Police seek contractor near pipeline blast amid allegations of digging on Petronas reserve land
Authorities have also begun safety inspections on homes that were affected by the towering blaze.
Malaysian authorities began safety inspections on Apr 2, 2025 on housing units that were affected in the towering blaze from the day before. (Photo: Facebook/Anwar Ibrahim)
SUBANG JAYA, Selangor: Malaysian police aim to identify the contractor responsible for construction works near the site of the pipeline explosion that caused a massive blaze in Puchong's Putra Heights leaving over 100 people injured.
This comes after the police said they would probe into allegations that the gas pipeline fire on Tuesday was the result of digging on Petronas reserve land.
District police chief Azlan Wan Mamat said on Wednesday (Apr 2) that they would record a statement from the individual and also refer to the local council to determine whether the contractor had the necessary permit.
"We will also refer to Petronas to see if any permit was issued by them.
"We will identify the contractor involved and call them in for questioning," he said, as quoted by the New Straits Times.
This comes even as the authorities begin safety inspections on housing units that were affected in the towering blaze.
Authorities had on Tuesday morning said that the fire involved “a leaking Petronas gas pipeline”, though some media reports said the pipeline had burst, and residents told state news agency Bernama that they felt tremors when that happened.
Subsequent reports have described the pipeline as having exploded.
According to Bernama, Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said that the Fire and Rescue Department – along with the state oil and gas firm - will conduct inspections in certain areas to identify the real cause of the fire.
Hussein added that the investigations will begin on Wednesday, following the immediate focus to put out the inferno and to rescue victims affected by the blaze.
"We will get all the information, including claims that digging out on the land led to the fire.
"We will investigate all of that, and if it's true that the earth was being dug up, we want to know who did it," he was quoted as saying by local news platform Harian Metro.
Aside from the police and Fire and Rescue Department, others involved in the safety inspections include personnel from Malaysia’s largest electricity utility, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, as well as the Public Works Department.
“The inspection will identify the level of damage, which houses the occupants can be allowed to go home, which ones are not allowed, which are safe and which are not safe,” Hussein reportedly told local media.
He added that a total of 364 victims from 74 families were involved in the fire and are currently housed in two temporary evacuation centres, namely at the Putra Height Mosque and the Subang Jaya City Council Multipurpose Hall.
On Wednesday, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu called for a detailed and transparent investigation into the cause of the blaze.
“I express my deepest condolences and full solidarity with all the victims affected,” he said, as quoted by Bernama, adding that in addition to finding the cause, safety protocols must be enhanced.
Separately, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the federal government, along with Petronas, will help repair and rebuild properties that were damaged in the blaze.
Local media reported that some 227 houses in the area were affected, with 78 razed to the ground.
"The responsibility of restoring this residential area, repairing or replacing (damaged properties), will be fully undertaken by us, the federal government and Petronas, in cooperation with the state government.
"There is no need to worry, it will just take a bit of time," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
But he warned that rebuilding efforts may take up to a year.
"It's not like a flood that sometimes takes a week or two (before people can return home)."
In the meantime, the government will provide RM5,000 (US$1123) to those whose homes were destroyed, while those whose houses were damaged will receive RM2,500.
Anwar said if needed, the government and Petronas would look at the need to increase aid, according to the New Straits Times.
The explosion and fire that broke out on Tuesday morning at a Petronas gas pipeline in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, caused widespread panic as huge flames shot up into the air.
The fire was reportedly accompanied by several explosions that shook the ground. The flames also caused fires at several houses as the pipeline was located near residential areas, according to local media.
The heat from the flames - felt kilometres away from the burning site - was said to have melted plastic and rubber objects within a wide radius of the pipeline, NST reported.
A total of 145 people were injured, including dozens currently receiving treatment in several hospitals.
