Putra Heights Fire Initial Report Delayed Due To Site Instability

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Authorities will require at least another two weeks to prepare a preliminary report on the April 1 gas pipeline fire at Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, said Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan.
Noting that the progress of the report depends on weather conditions, he said the delay is because authorities need to stabilise the environment around the crater before they can inspect it.
“Since the explosion caused structural instability at the site, works to stabilise the area have to be undertaken,” he told a press conference at the incident’s disaster command centre today.
“Only then can we inspect the pipe and other relevant evidence to see what could have caused the explosion.”
Crater left after the Putra Heights explosionHussein said authorities are targeting to begin analysing the 10m-deep crater measuring 21m by 24m by April 15, following the completion of stabilising activities.
When asked if the finalised report will be made public, he said the decision lies in the hands of the Selangor disaster management committee, which is chaired by state menteri besar Amirudin Shari.
Digging activities before explosion
Commenting on the police’s findings thus far, Hussein confirmed that excavation works to replace a sewage pipe were conducted at an area at least 30m from the incident site.
The works, which ended on March 30, involved the use of a backhoe and an excavator, the latter of which he said fell into the crater during the massive explosion.
“Whether or not these digging activities caused the explosion is a matter which requires further investigation (as we need to) identify other elements when we analyse the crater for other physical indications,” he said.
While the depth and extent of the excavation works remain unknown, Hussein said pipeline-owner Petronas did not detect a leakage prior to the fire.
“If there was a leak, Petronas would have been able to detect it at their centre as they have sensors and systems in place to recognise a pressure drop.
ADS“According to the Fire and Rescue Department, a gas leak without an ignition would not have caused an explosion of this scale,” he added.
He said, however, that police will look into relevant data from the national oil and gas company to establish if the 30-year-old pipeline, which originates in Kerteh, Terengganu and spans the length of the Peninsular, suffered a leak.
No bodies found
Police have also recorded statements from 56 eyewitnesses, including an injured security guard who was stationed near the site when the explosion occurred.
Hussein added that while police had deployed their K9 and forensics team to search the affected houses and the nearby Sg Klang for potential bodies, none had been found.
A major fire involving a Petronas gas line at 8.10am on Tuesday saw the flames rise to a height of more than 30m with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius, transforming the landscape of the area into a large crater.
The incident also destroyed rows of homes and property within a 500m radius. - Mkini

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