A fire caused by a burst gas pipe spread to several homes and sent a fireball soaring into the sky outside Malaysia’s largest city Tuesday, injuring more than 100 people.
The towering inferno near a gas station in Putra Heights outside Kuala Lumpur was visible for kilometers (miles) and lasted for several hours. It happened during a public holiday as Muslims, who are the majority in Malaysia, celebrate the second day of Eid.
National oil company Petronas said the fire started at one of its gas pipelines at 8:10 a.m. and the affected pipeline was later isolated. Disaster management officials said shutting the valves will eventually snuff out the fire.
The flames, 20 stories high at one point, were small enough for firefighters to approach around 2:45 p.m., the Selangor state fire department told the Star newspaper.
At least 49 houses were damaged and 112 people were injured, with 63 sent to the hospital for burns, breathing difficulties and other injuries, Selangor Deputy Police Chief Mohamad Zaini Abu Hassan was quoted by national Bernama news agency as saying.
Selangor Chief Minister Amirudin Shari said the fire department evacuated nearby homes as a safety measure and the residents will be placed in mosques nearby until the situation is under control.
Pictures and videos of the fireball went viral on social media, with some residents saying they felt a strong tremor with the doors and windows of their homes shaking.
Lee Weng Ken, who suffered burns to his left leg, said he was shocked when the ceiling of his house collapsed and crushed his vehicle parked in the compound of the house.
“I rushed out of my house but fell and suffered burns due to the heat from the blaze near my house,” he told Bernama.
Another victim who only wanted to be known as Andy, told Bernama he ran out of his home with his children when they felt tremors and saw the raging fire about 100 meters (yards) away.
“I could only take the car out. My 18-year-old daughter injured her foot when she fell while climbing the fence due to the heat, he said.
Petronas said three gas stations were closed as a precaution, though they weren't affected, and investigations are still underway.