KUALA LUMPUR: A devastating fire involving a Petronas gas pipeline at Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, Selangor this morning, led to the rescue of 112 individuals, with 63 of them being hospitalised.
Selangor deputy police chief DCP Mohd Zaini Abu Hassan confirmed that the rescued and injured victims were residents of Taman Harmoni and Kampung Kuala Sungai Baharu.
He said that in addition to the 63 victims sent to Cyberjaya, Serdang, and Putrajaya Hospitals for further treatment, due to burns, respiratory issues, and wounds, another 49 victims received initial treatment at the Sri Maha Kaliamman temple in Subang Jaya.
So far, four places of worship - three mosques and one temple - have been converted into temporary shelters and treatment centres for the victims.
The mosques are the Putra Heights Mosque and the Nurul Iman Mosque, which were converted into temporary evacuation centres, as well as the Al-Falah Mosque in USJ 9, which was also offered by its management to be used as a shelter for the victims.
The Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple has also been utilised as a temporary shelter and treatment centre for the affected victims.
All four houses of worship are situated within a five-kilometre radius of Jalan Putra Harmoni, the site of the fire, which was caused by a leak in a Petronas gas pipeline.
Mohd Zaini, at the same press conference, said that the fire, which broke out at 8.10 am, also impacted 49 homes in the surrounding area.
Videos, shared on social media by members of the public, depict the fire spreading to several nearby residential units, causing extensive property damage, including the destruction of dozens of cars and motorcycles.
As of 1 pm, a total of 78 firefighters, supported by 22 assets, were at the scene. These assets include 10 Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) engines, four Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) units, five Water Tanker units, and specialised units, such as a Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) team, a BA Tanker unit, and an Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) unit.
The operation involved personnel from the Subang Jaya, Puchong, Shah Alam, Bukit Jelutong, Cyberjaya, Rawang, South Klang, North Klang, and Damansara Fire and Rescue Stations.
Additionally, the Civil Defence Force (APM) deployed personnel from Petaling and Sepang, to assist with response efforts.
As of 1.55 pm, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said that the fire from the leaking gas pipeline was subsiding.
He added that JBPM is continuing to monitor the situation.
