KUALA LUMPUR: A gas pipeline fire at Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, yesterday, has left the area resembling a war zone, with flames reaching over 100 feet high and temperatures soaring to 1,000 degrees Celsius.

On the second day of Aidilfitri, social media shifted from festive celebrations to shocking images of the disaster—dust-covered residential areas, charred trees, and burnt-out vehicles, leaving Malaysians stunned.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussien Omar Khan reported that 364 victims from 74 families were affected. Inspections and safety assessments of the affected units will begin today before residents can return home.

Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad stated that 325 personnel from 11 agencies battled the blaze for over seven hours before extinguishing it at 3.34pm. Firefighters will remain on standby for the next 20 hours to monitor the area.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced immediate aid of RM5,000 for homeowners whose properties were destroyed and RM2,500 for those with partial damage. He assured victims that the federal and Selangor governments, along with Petronas, would take full responsibility for restoring the housing area.

His wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, visited victims receiving treatment at Hospital Sultan Idris Shah, Serdang. As of 6pm yesterday, 100 victims were receiving treatment across Klang Valley hospitals, with 30 others treated at private facilities.

Places of worship, including the Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple and Masjid Al Falah USJ 9, were converted into temporary treatment centres, while Masjid Nurul Iman and Masjid Putra Heights served as evacuation centres. Insurance companies Takaful Malaysia and Etiqa Malaysia urged affected policyholders to contact them for assistance.

The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) advised those impacted with existing loans to reach out to their banks for support.– BERNAMA