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A JOYOUS second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri was turned into a nightmare for several families in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, when a gas pipeline exploded, sending bright orange flames raging behind their homes.
For one woman still in postnatal confinement, the fire was a shocking sight that interrupted the celebrations and put her family in immediate danger.
Bernama cited, Mastura Mohd Shaari, 33, who was preparing to visit relatives with her family when disaster struck. The explosion, which occurred about 100 meters from her home in Kampung Sungai Baru, sent a massive blaze through the area.
Mastura’s husband, Li Siraat, 45, quickly contacted the fire department as panic spread. The couple, along with their six children, fled their home in a rush, with their youngest child not even dressed when they left.
“Even after driving quite a distance away, we could still feel the intense heat from the fire,” Mastura recalled, speaking from the Temporary Relief Centre (PPS) at the Putra Heights Mosque.
Mastura, who fled with nothing but the clothes on her back, expressed gratitude for the assistance she received at the PPS. “Alhamdulillah, everything is sufficient here. Aid was provided, and it was a relief as my child had no clothes when we escaped,” Bernama quoted her saying.
The fire, which began at Jalan Putra Harmoni in Putra Heights, took nearly eight hours to extinguish. It left a crater 9.75 meters (32 feet) deep and 21.34 by 24.38 meters (70x80) feet wide.
As of now, the impact on the victims is severe: 13 are in the red zone, 55 in the yellow zone, and 43 in the green zone.
A total of 529 victims have been relocated to two temporary shelters, with 485 people from 110 families at Putra Heights Mosque and 44 from eight families at the Subang Jaya City Council’s Camelia Multipurpose Hall.
One victim, Norsyalida Abdul Wahab, 50, who had initially sought shelter with her paralysed child at a nearby rest area, was relieved to find the Putra Heights Mosque PPS.
“We are fine here. There is enough food, even surplus, and the officers are very caring. Doctors frequently check on my child, so there are no issues,” she told Bernama.
Lorry driver Mohd Azmi Ab Wahab, 48, was another victim of the explosion. Having just finished his night shift, Azmi had to abandon his plans to visit his hometown in Jengka, Pahang.
“I remember the fire erupting suddenly. The heat was so intense that I fell off my motorcycle. I ran for my life, leaving my bike behind,” he said, with his lefthand showing signs of burns.
“At that moment, I was just thinking, ‘Will I survive?’ Thankfully, my wife and children had already returned to Pahang earlier, so I only had to worry about myself.”
The ferocity of the flames from the pipeline fire left cars, motorcycles, and even aquariums melting.
Private sector employee Siti Fauziah Hasnan, 32, was among those who had to flee. Her neighbourhood was particularly vulnerable, as many had already returned to their hometowns for the Aidilfitri celebrations.
Siti Fauziah shared her experience with Bernama, saying that when the fire started, she and others had no choice but to take refuge near a riverbank.
“At first, I was in shock, but we managed to escape after some individuals guided us on alternative routes to avoid the heat. Many people, including myself, sustained burns on our feet because our slippers melted due to the extreme temperature,” she explained.
Meanwhile, delivery driver Jasni Abdul Manap, 47, was devastated when he learned his newly purchased Yamaha Y15ZR motorcycle had been reduced to ashes.
“I had just bought the bike and hadn’t even made the first payment,” he said. Jasni was on his way back from celebrating Aidilfitri in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, when a friend called him with the news.
“I initially thought the fire had broken out at a nearby petrol station, but it turned out the pipeline explosion was right behind my house,” he recalled.
“Three motorcycles, household items, and even my child’s laptop, which was only bought two months ago, were destroyed.”
Jasni, who had planned to return home later in the week, is currently staying at the relief centre in the Camelia Hall, still unaware of the extent of the damage to his property.
Food trader Faizal Zakaria, 56, recounted a chilling moment when a boy, around 12 years old, used a table at Faizal’s shop as a shield while searching for his mother during the chaos.
“The child suffered burns on his back, yet he still rushed to find his mother at a house not far from my shop,” Faizal said.
“Despite the devastation, I’m grateful that only the back of my vehicle and the exterior of my house were affected, while the interior remained intact.”
For many of these victims, their Hari Raya celebrations have been abruptly cut short, replaced by the urgent need for survival and the hope that they will soon find a sense of stability and peace in the wake of this horrific tragedy. – April 2, 2025