KUALA LUMPUR — A raging fire erupted at a Petronas-operated gas pipeline on Tuesday (April 1), sending flames soaring into the sky and injuring 33 people on the outskirts of Malaysia's capital. Authorities scrambled to contain the disaster as thick black smoke engulfed residential areas.
"Six victims with serious injuries have been rushed to hospital," said Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Director Wan Md Razali Wan Ismail in a live interview with Astro Awani. Firefighters continue battling the blaze as emergency teams work around the clock.
Terrified residents reported being trapped in their homes as the inferno spread through Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru. "Our rescue teams are evacuating people house-by-house," confirmed Mohd Najwan Halimi, Chairman of Selangor Disaster Management Committee, in an urgent statement to Bernama.
Petronas officials confirmed they've isolated the damaged pipeline segment. The 500-meter long ruptured section in Puchong continues spewing flames despite crews successfully closing emergency valves. Social media footage shows apocalyptic scenes of towering orange flames visible for kilometers.
The Selangor Fire Department warned that assessing full damage remains impossible until flames subside. "We're still determining how many homes have been affected," a spokesperson stated while coordinating water bombing operations from multiple stations.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as emergency vehicles converged on suburban neighborhoods near industrial zones. "The heat was unbearable even from hundreds of meters away," reported one shopkeeper who fled with his family when embers began raining down on rooftops.
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