KUALA LUMPUR — Putra Heights residents affected by the gas pipeline fire on April 1 are disappointed with the silence of the developer and contractor involved in the project near the incident site.
A resident, Salleh Alrashid, 48, wants the companies involved in the shop lot project and in the excavation work near the pipeline to acknowledge the incident publicly, given the damage to people’s lives from the fire, and to clear any speculation regarding their alleged involvement in gas leak that caused the huge inferno.
“For me, a public statement from the landowner is important, if you want to deny it, deny it, but the incident happened near your project site, developed area, come forward and speak up,” he said.
“Until now, there has no statement at all from the developer of the project site, not even a preliminary statement.
“As a developer, just give a statement to say that they are still conducting an investigation, and emphasise that all the work they are doing is according to specifications.
“That’s all we (residents) ask so that no other parties speculate. You landowners, whether you are careless or not, must make an initial statement. Then, leave investigations to the relevant agencies.”
Salleh was reacting to statements by the Selangor police that there is no need to reveal the identity of the contractor that carried out excavation work near the location of the underground gas pipeline which leaked and started the fire.
Selangor Police Chief, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said this was because investigations into how the fire started was still ongoing to identify any criminal or negligence elements.
To his, Salleh said he hoped for a thorough investigation to that safety guarantees can be given to Putra Heights residents.
“As we live near a buried buried gas pipeline, we hope that there will be a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure that the same incident does not happen again.
“I have elderly neighbours who live alone, if it happens again, who will help them? The pipeline is 100 metres from the house, so is it safe for us?” he asked.
He said that property prices in the area would also definitely fall following the gas pipe explosion.
“The price will definitely fall,who will want to buy property here after this incident,” Salleh added.
To date, Selangor police have confirmed that initial investigations found excavation work carried out to lay sewerage pipes, about 30 metres from where the explosion cite.
Hussein said that the police had also identified the developers, contractors, subcontractors and workers involved in the excavation activity.
The massive gas pipeline fire caused extensive damage to surroundings, displacing more than 1,200 people and damaging property, including 87 houses that were written off as “total losses”.
The fire which started around 8am, caused flames to soar so high that they could be seen several kilometres away, and took about eight hours before it was extinguished, leaving a giant crater behind. – April 10, 2025