Subang Jaya: Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) menggunakan kaedah Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) sebagai langkah tambahan bagi memastikan keselamatan rumah yang terjejas akibat tragedi letupan paip gas di Putra Heights, di sini, selamat untuk didiami.

Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, berkata kaedah itu bagi mengesahkan keutuhan struktur rumah. Katanya, hasil ujian itu adalah konsisten dengan penilaian yang dibuat sebelum ini membabitkan 301 rumah.

“Rumah boleh diduduki dari segi kestabilan struktur dan kemudahan utiliti.

“Pemilik perlu masuk ke rumah mereka dan buat pembaikan. Sekiranya ada sebarang perkara luar biasa atau mencurigakan, penghuni boleh buat aduan untuk pemeriksaan lanjut bomba, JKR dan Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).

“Kita telah buka satu kaunter Majlis Bandaraya Subang Jaya (MBSJ) untuk aduan daripada pemilik rumah bagi tindakan pihak berkaitan. Itu proses yang kita susun dan persetujui,” katanya pada sidang akhbar di Pos Kawalan Tempat Kejadian (PKTK) Putra Heights di sini, semalam.

301 rumah selamat dihuni

Hussein berkata, pemeriksaan yang munasabah telah dijalankan oleh agensi berkaitan dan pendapat diambil kira untuk mengesahkan kediaman selamat untuk dihuni semula.

Katanya, JKR, bomba dan TNB juga telah mengesahkan 301 rumah dikategorikan sebagai selamat dan penghuni dibenarkan untuk pulang dan meneruskan proses pembaikan.

“Setakat ini, sebanyak 190 rumah telah diduduki semula,” katanya. Beliau berkata, keselamatan kediaman terjejas di sekitar lokasi kejadian juga terkawal.

“Polis telah menempatkan 124 anggota untuk mengawal 24 jam di parameter kawasan bencana bagi menjaga keselamatan harta benda, selain mengawal proses pengoperasian di lokasi bencana,” katanya.

Tragedi letupan dan kebakaran saluran gas PETRONAS pada 1 April lalu mengakibatkan api menjulang hingga lebih 30 meter dengan suhu mencecah 1,000 darjah Celsius dan mengambil masa selama hampir lapan jam untuk dipadamkan sepenuhnya.

Subang Jaya: Polis Selangor secara keseluruhan menerima 755 laporan daripada penduduk yang terjejas di kawasan letupan dan kebakaran paip gas di Putra Heights, di sini.

Semua laporan yang diterima membabitkan kerosakan rumah, kerosakan kenderaan dan kecederaan yang dialami akibat tragedi berkenaan.

Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, berkata pihaknya setakat ini tidak menerima sebarang laporan yang dibuat terhadap pemilik paip gas atau mana-mana kontraktor yang terbabit dalam kerja-kerja di kawasan berkenaan.

“Setakat ini, 755 laporan yang diterima daripada mangsa adalah berkaitan kerosakan rumah, kenderaan dan kecederaan. Pihak polis tidak menerima sebarang laporan lain daripada perkara ini,” katanya pada sidang media Ops Gas, di sini, semalam.

Beliau berkata demikian selepas ditanya adakah polis menerima laporan terhadap PETRONAS selaku pemilik paip gas, pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) iaitu Majlis Bandaraya Subang Jaya (MBSJ) dan syarikat-syarikat kontraktor yang melaksanakan sebarang kerja di kawasan kejadian.

Katanya, pihak polis juga sudah merakam keterangan daripada pemaju yang menjalankan kerja-kerja di kawasan kejadian.

“Kita sudah merakam percakapan bagi mendapatkan maklumat sama ada kerja-kerja mereka memberi kesan kepada kejadian letupan dan sebagainya.

“Proses pengumpulan maklumat ini penting bagi membolehkan kita menyelaraskan bukti yang akan diperoleh selepas siasatan di ground zero atau lokasi kejadian dijalankan dalam masa terdekat,” katanya.

Setakat ini, proses siasatan di ground zero masih belum dimulakan kerana kerja-kerja mendalamkan kawasan ground zero untuk tujuan siasatan masih dijalankan.

Ini berikutan kerja-kerja mendalamkan lokasi kejadian dijangka mengambil masa selepas agensi teknikal yang terbabit dalam siasatan sedang membuat teres bagi memastikan struktur tanah kukuh sebelum siasatan dimulakan.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, Hussein mengesahkan pihaknya menerima satu laporan daripada Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah, berhubung penularan berita tidak benar mengenai kematian seorang kanak-kanak yang juga mangsa kejadian letupan dan kebakaran itu.

“Pihak polis sudah membuka kertas siasatan mengikut Seksyen 500 Kanun Keseksaan atas kesalahan menfitnah dan Seksyen 233 Akta Komunikasi Multimedia (MCMC) kerana menyebarkan berita palsu,” katanya.

A town planning expert is calling on local governments to mandate common utility tunnelling in new developments following the Putra Heights gas pipeline blast.

Local government and urban planning expert Derek J. Fernandez, a former Petaling Jaya City councillor, said utility tunnels were crucial in ensuring infrastructure safety and efficiency.

“For new areas, we must require common utility tunnelling, actual tunnels where you can walk in and look at the utilities,” he told the New Straits Times’ “Beyond the Headlines” podcast yesterday.

“Putrajaya has a very effective common utility project. There’s no more road digging.” Fernandez said cost-saving lobbyists were attempting to weaken these regulations.

“Some people want to remove it or cut down its scope, which will mean that digging returns and you can’t inspect what’s underground.”

He said if such a system had been in place in Putra Heights, the explosion could have been prevented.

“If we had gas piping through common utility tunnelling, it would have been easier to detect problems as you could just walk in (to check),” he said.

Fernandez also proposed monetising the tunnels by allowing utility providers to pay for access, making it financially viable for local councils.

“This should be mandatory. Safety must come before costsaving.”

Meanwhile, Innoveam Sdn Bhd managing director and consultant engineer Zamir Rashid highlighted the need for advanced remote monitoring systems, such as real-time pressure monitoring and leak detection, to prevent similar disasters and ensure quick emergency response.

“We need real-time data from pressure monitoring and leak detection systems,” said Zamir, who specialises in 3D engineering simulations.

He added that digital technologies could improve safety and response times. The April 1 blaze at the Petronas gas pipeline caused RM65.4 million in damage, affected 487 homes and 365 vehicles, injured 112 people and displaced 509 families.

PETALING JAYA: The recent gas pipeline fire incident has rattled many Malaysians, particularly those considering property purchases in the affected or nearby areas.

What was once an overlooked consideration on the property checklist is now gaining serious attention – hidden underground risks such as fuel pipelines.

For many potential buyers, safety concerns have always played a part in the decision-making process, but the recent incident has brought these hidden threats to the forefront.

“Honestly, such pipelines were never a top consideration until this recent incident,” said Yaswinii Kannan, 28, a business analyst.

Her typical checklist includes evaluating nearby pollution sources, proximity to hazardous industrial premises, electrical hubs and other strong electromagnetic fields.

Other key considerations for Yaswinii include the crime rate in the area, security features such as gated communities and camera surveillance, and traffic risks.

She also looks at the environmental history of the land, such as whether it was once a mine or a lake.

“It is also important to investigate the land stability and check for pests, termites or other harmful parasites,” she added.

For Indira Magesan, 31, a former general practitioner, buying property revolves around three main pillars – location, safety and finance.

She emphasised the importance of being near basic amenities, evaluating future developments for investment potential and ensuring affordability.

Although checking for industrial activity and construction is part of her process, pipelines had never been a concern.

“To be honest, we just make sure that industrial areas are at least five to 10km away from our community.

“As a layperson, we don’t have access to blueprints to check for pipelines underground.

“As for construction sites, as long as safety, noise levels and air quality are maintained, I’m okay because these factors can affect property value in the long term,” she said.

Before the fire incident, Indira had been unaware of the risks posed by pipelines.

“We assumed all developments go through strict evaluations to ensure safety,” she said.

“But now, we realise freak incidents such as this can happen anywhere to anyone.

“It will definitely influence my decision in the future. Safety is crucial, but peace of mind is even more important.”

Reflecting on the explosion, she expressed concern that despite numerous regulations for property construction, such an incident still happened.

“Buyers need to do thorough research on the property and evaluate the developer’s portfolio and risk management measures before making a decision.

“I’m not sure if I’d consider buying a house near the site of the incident or in areas known to have gas pipelines, at least not now.”

While Indira believes authorities will take steps to improve safety in the area, she pointed out that human nature makes it difficult to let go of past trauma.

She also said full disclosure on such incidents should be mandatory for parties selling property.

“Buyers must be made aware of past accidents, the countermeasures taken, the placement of pipelines and ongoing safety measures.

“It’s crucial that they have all the information to make informed decisions, free from the pressure of sales talk or promotions.”