By Norrasyidah Arshad
SUBANG JAYA, April 12 — The sombre atmosphere in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru brightened slightly as over 1,000 volunteers turned up to assist with post-cleaning efforts following the April 1 Petronas gas pipeline fire.
Various agencies, including the local authorities, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the Malaysian Armed Forces, joined the Mega Cleaning Operation (Ops Mega Pembersihan) to ease the burden of victims who lost their homes and belongings.
The cleaning operation, which began at 8.30am, started with task allocations like cutting down trees, clearing drains, and removing damaged items from around the homes.
Village chief Fiqrie Jusdean said that 121 houses were affected by the explosion, with 53 of them completely destroyed.
“Volunteers cleaned the outside areas so that when victims return, they only need to tidy the inside of their homes,” he told Media Selangor.
Meanwhile, one of the victims, Nur Aisyah Mat Rejab, 37, said the presence of volunteers helped her and her husband dispose of all the burnt and unusable household items.
[caption id="attachment_397281" align="aligncenter" width="1354"]
Members of the Malaysian Armed Forces helping to remove vehicles destroyed by the April 1 Putra Heights gas pipeline fire during the Mega Cleaning Operation to clear residents' homes at Putra Heights and Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru on April 12, 2025. — Picture by MOHD KHAIRUL HELMY MOHD DIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
She said she only managed to recover a portion of the duit raya meant for her neighbours’ children for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“I found just over RM100. The money was half-burnt. Some people told me it can be replaced at the bank. Everything else was destroyed,” she said.
Earlier, Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari flagged off the volunteer convoy from the Subang Jaya City Council Arena before they headed to the site.
The operation involved 12 local authorities, the police, KDEB Waste Management, and Selangor Volunteers or SERVE, which was overseen by the State Sports Council.
The fire, which occurred at around 8.10am on the second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, sent flames more than 30 metres into the sky. Temperatures reportedly reached up to 1,000°C, and the fire took nearly eight hours to be fully extinguished.
The incident resulted in the complete destruction of 81 houses with structural damage exceeding 40 per cent, while another 81 were partially destroyed.
Fifty-seven homes sustained damage without catching fire, and 218 homes remained unaffected.
It also left behind a crater measuring 9.8 metres deep and approximately 21 by 24 metres wide at the site.
[caption id="attachment_397282" align="aligncenter" width="1436"]
Members of the Selangor Volunteers or SERVE helping to clear debris from a home damaged by the April 1 Putra Heights gas pipeline fire during the Mega Cleaning Operation to clear residents' homes at Putra Heights and Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru on April 12, 2025. — Picture by MOHD KHAIRUL HELMY MOHD DIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
