More than 100 people were injured on Tuesday when a fire outside Malaysia’s largest city spread to multiple homes due to a burst gas pipe and blasted a fireball upwards.
For several hours, a tall fire outside a gas station in Putra Heights, outside of Kuala Lumpur, raged for miles.
This occurred during a public holiday commemorating the second day of Eid, which is celebrated by Malaysia’s Muslim majority.
Petronas, the national oil corporation, said the fire began at 8.10 a.m. on one of its gas pipelines and was later isolated. According to disaster management specialists, switching off the valves would eventually extinguish the fire.
The flames, which reached 20 floors high at one point, were modest enough for firemen to approach at around 2.45pm, according to the Selangor state fire department.
At least 49 houses were burned and 112 people were injured, with 63 being sent to the hospital with burns, breathing difficulties, and other injuries.
Selangor Chief Minister Amirudin Shari said the fire department evacuated surrounding residences as a safety precaution, and people will be housed at local mosques until the situation is under control.
Petronas said three gas stations were closed as a precaution, though they were not affected, and investigations are still underway.
