KUANTAN, May 3 – Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad has admitted that it was a miracle that no casualties were recorded during the Putra Heights gas inferno that saw three people treated for trauma.
Nor Hisham said this was despite losses estimated at RM80 million — including RM65 million in property, RM7 million in vehicles and RM5 million in infrastructure – and 147 people injured.
“I agree that it was somewhat of a miracle. It was Hari Raya during that time with many people in their homes,” he said in an interview with The Star ahead of the national-level International Firefighters Day celebrations here tomorrow.
He also attributed the result to fast mobilisation of the rescuers during a change in shift and equipment inspection, lack of traffic due to the holiday, and fresh recruits.
“We also had an advantage with our fresh recruits having just been deployed before Hari Raya,” he reportedly said.
“These young and spirited firemen really put in effort for the rescue operations, including doing door-to-door checks and helping to carry out at least 33 residents to safety.”
He explained that the Putra Heights fire was difficult to extinguish because the gas pipeline — stretching from Segamat in Johor to the north of the country — still contained compressed gas that had to burn off even after the valves were shut.
“At the time of the fire, there were some ideas for us to use excavators to pile up earth on the burning area to stop the flow of oxygen,” he said, but this was abandoned due to public safety.
Throughout the process, he said the team worked closely with the gas company, ensuring all actions complied with technical standards, including the 40m safety buffer.
Nor Hisham related that temperatures between 430ºC and 750ºC were recorded within 100 metres of the blast zone during its peak, high enough to melt plastic and destroy wood.
“Our priority was to create a line of defence especially beyond a 100m radius. The fumes emitted were extremely hazardous,” he said.
The department used a projection method to map out the affected area and identified that burning debris and soil had sparked secondary fires in neighbouring houses.
A total of 112 firemen from 11 stations, supported by 22 fire engines and three volunteer fire units, were involved in the operations.
Nor Hisham said he and senior officers were on-site throughout the operation, and no firefighters or equipment were harmed.
He also credited the cooperation of residents who promptly evacuated their homes when instructed.