Malaysia gas pipeline fire: Excavator feared buried at site, no bodies found, say police

PETALING JAYA, Selangor – Early police investigations into the

Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion

have revealed that heavy excavation work was carried out by a contractor just 30m from the location of the April 1 incident, said Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan.

Datuk Hussein said an excavator and a backhoe were used during work carried out to replace an existing underground sewerage system in the area, and the work had ceased on March 30.

He said the excavator is believed to be buried in the soil after the gas pipeline blast.

“There was a backhoe and an excavator used to carry out the work. The backhoe was removed from the site a day before the incident, while the excavator was left behind,” he said.

On April 1, a massive fire triggered by a gas pipeline leak forced residents to flee their homes and injured more than 100 people during Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations in the town of Puchong in the state of Selangor.

Mr Hussein said investigations by the relevant authorities into the affected area of the pipeline were hampered by the unstable ground surrounding the site.

“The blast had altered the original landscape of the area, causing a hole that is 7m deep and 30m wide. It is surrounded by a crater and the ground is unstable,” he said. “Efforts to stabilise the soil around the affected area are ongoing... for investigations to be conducted safely.”

Mr Hussein was speaking at a press conference at the makeshift command control centre set up near the Putra Avenue residential area in Putra Heights on April 4.

“A report on the preliminary findings of our investigations would be ready only in about two weeks. Subsequently, it will take another two weeks for the full report on the disaster to be ready, he said.

Mr Hussein added that a two-pronged investigation is being carried out, with the Occupational Safety and Health Department probing possible breaches in worksite safety and other requirements while the police are investigating possible elements of negligence or foul play.

“The police have also opened one investigation paper, focusing on mischief and negligence,” he said.

“To date, we have recorded the statements of 56 people, including a security guard who witnessed the blast.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said all forms of aid or assistance for victims of the fire must go through the Selangor government or national oil company Petronas.

He said this was to ensure that all aid efforts would be conducted in an orderly and effective manner.

“All forms of assistance and coordination efforts related to the fire incident in Putra Heights must be directly coordinated with Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari and Petronas chief executive officer Muhammad Taufik,” said Datuk Seri Anwar in a statement on Facebook on April 4.

“This is because close cooperation between the federal government, the state government and the industrial sector is crucial in addressing this situation promptly and comprehensively.”

He added that the Prime Minister’s Office would continue to monitor the ongoing developments and provide full support and assistance for all recovery and safety efforts in relation to the tragedy.

This comes after news broke that Selangor Volunteers members, who wanted to help in the clean-up operation of the affected housing area, were denied entry to the area on April 4.

According to the volunteers, the police had declared the area a restricted zone and asked them to leave. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK