KUALA LUMPUR (April 5): The police announced that their probe into the recent gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya would focus on elements of mischief and negligence.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan shared at a media conference on Friday afternoon that 56 statements have been recorded so far from victims, the developer, contractors and the main witness, a security guard at a shop near the area of the incident who was injured in the fire, and also that the police have received 20 dashcam recordings from social media and witnesses.

He also confirmed that there were excavating work done near the area of the incident to replace sewerage pipes using a backhoe and an excavator that stopped on March 30, two days before the explosion and fire occurred.

Hussein also said that the preliminary technical investigation report on the cause of the explosion was expected in two weeks, while the full report would be expected to be completed two weeks after that.

The delay in the preliminary report was due to the structure of the original landscape being rendered unstable due to the impact of the explosion he said, while noting that the Fire and Rescue Department had stated a gas leak would not have been able to cause the explosion, adding that an explosion of such a size would require three elements — gas, air and an ignition.

“Our preliminary investigation found that the pipeline was already over 30 years old, having been built in 1991, with Petronas conducting maintenance work on it,” he said.

Meanwhile, 46 out of 134 victims of the fire were still being treated at various hospitals and clinics, while 394 people from 99 families were still at the relief centre at Putra Heights Mosque and 111 people from 28 families were at Camelia Putra Heights Hall as of Friday evening.

A total of 1,254 people from 308 families were affected by the explosion and fire, with 87 houses completely destroyed and rendered uninhabitable, while 148 others sustained damage and could be inhabited after repairs are conducted.

Currently residents of only less than 20% of the damaged houses would be allowed to return home after a safety assessment is done by the Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ), Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and electrical wiring contractors, Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said.

Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said on Friday morning that the Selangor Housing and Property Board would offer over 100 temporary houses under the SMART Sewa Selangor scheme to the victims, who could be rehomed within one to two weeks.

Victims also continued to receive aid from various parties, including the use of vehicles from Chery Malaysia for a month, RM500 immediate aid for every Muslim head of household from the Selangor Zakat Board, school uniforms from Yayasan Islam Darul Ehsan (YIDE), and counselling was provided to 142 victims under the Yayasan Kebajikan Negara initiative.

Finally, the Digital Ministry is studying requests from victims to replace damaged gadgets, including laptops, internet facilities and mobile phones, and has supplied 500 powerbanks from the Malaysian Digital Economic Corporation.

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