Opposition reps to raise Putra Heights blast in state assembly, says Azmin
PETALING JAYA : Opposition assemblymen in Selangor are set to raise the issue of the Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion in the upcoming state assembly sitting on July 7, says Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief whip Azmin Ali.
Azmin said they would press for answers on the incident, which saw a massive fire engulf a gas pipeline in April, damaging hundreds of homes and injuring scores of people.
'We want to uncover any negligence or weaknesses in the approval process, whether at the level of the local authorities or state government,' he said in a statement.
Azmin called for a 'free and thorough' investigation and said the report on the explosion had failed to answer key questions, despite police having classified the case as requiring no further action.
'We emphasise that this should not be viewed solely from a commercial aspect, but also through the lens of humanity and the safety of human lives,' he said.
The blaze on April 1 saw flames soar over 30m high with temperatures reaching up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. There were no fatalities, but 150 victims had to seek treatment at hospitals.
Firefighters took nearly eight hours to extinguish the blaze, which left a 10m-deep, 21m by 24m crater.
The fire destroyed 81 houses, with structural damage exceeding 40%. Another 81 houses were partially damaged, and 57 were affected but not burned.
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