Putra heights: The Selangor State Assembly was informed today that the gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, on April 1 was not caused by excavation works, nor was it the trigger for the resulting blaze. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said investigations by the police, Minerals and Geoscience Department, and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) confirmed that the groundworks did not impact the gas pipeline.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Amirudin clarified during a briefing that checks with local authorities revealed the 4.2-metre monsoon drain construction and the residential development occurred around 2008 to 2009, prior to the establishment of the One-Stop Centre in 2010. He also refuted allegations that the developer conducted unauthorised construction near the Petronas Gas Berhad (PGB) reserve, stating that the company complied with Petronas’ safety conditions and had obtained formal approval to proceed with works on March 20, 2025.
He further denied claims that the Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) failed to meet necessary criteria when approving planning permission for works within the Petronas buffer zone. He explained that while PGB’s buffer zone requirement is 60 feet, the approved buffer zone at the Putra Heights site was 66 feet. Earlier, DOSH Petroleum Safety Division director, Husdin Che Amat, noted that the incident was attributed to weak soil conditions beneath the pipeline, which met all technical specifications but rested on soft, wet soil.
On a separate development, Amirudin stated that reconstruction and repair works for affected homes are ahead of schedule. Based on assessments by the Economic Planning Unit, three homes in Taman Putra Harmoni will be rebuilt, 46 will undergo repairs, and another 46 units are still undergoing final structural inspections. In Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, of the 17 homes affected, 11 will be rebuilt and six repaired.
He noted that homeowners in Taman Putra Harmoni have submitted repair claims amounting to RM458,440.50, while residents of Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru have filed claims for RM884,934. Residents have until Oct 27 to submit required documents, with MBSJ acting as facilitator. Amirudin concluded by stating that the state government will propose to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to raise the ceiling for repair costs from RM30,000 to RM60,000 to account for roofing tiles and replacement of fittings such as water tanks.