KUALA LUMPUR: Restoration efforts are actively underway in the area devastated by last week’s gas pipeline fire and explosion in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, with continued support pouring in for the victims.
Today, work to drain stagnant water from the crater at the incident site — known as ‘ground zero’ — is continuing following rainfall over the past few days.
Subang Jaya district police chief ACP Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said the water level at the site rose slightly this morning due to overnight rain.
Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said two water pump trucks are on standby at the scene to remove stagnant water if needed.
This morning, five Rapid KL On-Demand vans were deployed to transport 76 students from two temporary evacuation centres (PPS) to 19 schools across Subang Jaya.
Of the total, 42 are primary school pupils and 34 are secondary school students — 60 attend morning sessions and 16 attend in the afternoon.
According to Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd central region head, Khairul Azhar Hamidulah, the initiative was coordinated with the District Education Office (PPD) and local authorities to ensure a smooth return to school following the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays.
The initiative also involved cooperation from Yayasan Islam Darul Ehsan (YIDE), Petaling Perdana PPD, the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and Prasarana Malaysia Berhad.
All the victims are scheduled to receive aid from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to be presented on his behalf by his political secretary Datuk Azman Abidin at a community hall near the incident site this afternoon.
As of 11 am, 374 victims from 98 families remain sheltered at the PPS Masjid Putra Heights.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain is scheduled to visit the evacuation centre and the incident site at the Putra Heights Incident Site Control Post (PKTK) after Zohor prayers.
The Petronas gas pipeline inferno at 8.10 am last Tuesday produced flames over 30 metres high with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius and took nearly eight hours to be extinguished.
According to the latest data, of the 439 homes assessed, 220 have been declared safe while 219 sustained varying levels of damage.
The Ministry of Health said 38 of the 146 injured are still receiving treatment — 18 at government hospitals and 20 at private facilities. No victims are in intensive care and no fatalities have been reported.
