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ONE 24-year-old man was killed and nine others injured in an explosion involving an air conditioning compressor at a private university in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, this morning.
Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said police received an emergency call regarding the incident at 11.40 am.
According to him, initial investigations found that the explosion occurred in the air conditioning maintenance area located near the cafeteria on the fourth floor of the university building.
“A total of nine people were involved, some with serious injuries and some with minor ones,” he told a press conference at the scene of the incident.
He said that all the victims were rushed to several nearby hospitals, including the University Malaya Medical Centre (PPUM), Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) and Sungai Buloh Hospital.
Fadil informed that the victims consisted of four university students, two contract workers, a management staff member, and two foreigners who worked at the cafeteria.
“Luckily, the area was not filled with many students when the incident occurred; it is believed that it was still during the holiday period,” he said.
"So far, the location of the incident has been confirmed to be completely safe, and the investigation is still ongoing," he said.
He also informed that among the causes identified was the possibility of a high-pressure gas leak, but the matter is still under investigation by the fire department's forensics.
In the incident, some of the victims suffered burns due to fragments of the strong explosion that caused damage to the building's wall structure.
He added that the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) team, together with Hazmat are currently carrying out inspections and safety work to ensure there is no risk of subsequent explosions.
A total of 38 firefighters were involved in today's operation, including the forensics and Hazmat teams. – January 12, 2026
