The fire near a petrol station in Putra Heights, Malaysia’s central Selangor state, was visible for miles
The towering inferno near a petrol station in Putra Heights in central Selangor state was visible for miles around. Selangor’s chief minister said 12 people were injured and 82 had been rescued, state news agency Bernama reported.
Pictures and videos of the fireball went viral on social media, with some residents saying they felt the doors and windows of their homes shaking due to the explosion that preceded the fire.
National oil company Petronas said in a statement that the fire broke out at one of its gas pipelines at 8.10am.
It said in a brief statement that the affected pipeline has been isolated. Three petrol stations nearby the fire site were not affected but had been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure, Petronas said, adding that investigations were still under way.
The Selangor Disaster Management unit said in a statement that the blaze spread to several houses in a nearby village, and efforts were being made to rescue trapped residents. It added that several people suffered burns and would be taken for treatment, but said the extent of the full damage was still being assessed.
Dozens of Selangor firefighters were dispatched to the scene. Selangor Chief Minister Amirudin Shari said the fire department had quickly evacuated residents from nearby homes as a safety measure. He said they would be temporarily placed in a mosque nearby until the situation was under control.
