KUALA LUMPUR: The focus of the sixth day of operations at the site of the Putra Heights gas fire is now to drain the rainwater that has accumulated in the crater caused by the explosion.
Subang Jaya police chief ACP Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said the draining is critical to enabling safety assessment work to resume.
ALSO READ: On the road to recovery
"This morning, our focus remains on the fire crater as there is still a large volume of water that needs to be pumped out before we can proceed with the usual safety evaluations,” he told Bernama on Sunday (April 6).
Meanwhile, Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan is expected to hold a press conference at 4pm on Sunday at the site command post in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya.
ALSO READ: Lifelong PTSD possible for some victims, says psychiatrist
Yesterday, Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said the final safety assessment at the crater site was expected to be completed on Sunday.
Nor Hisham said the findings on the fire crater would be presented to the Selangor State Disaster Management Committee soon.
ALSO READ: ‘Test for hazardous waste in wake of gas blast’
The Petronas gas pipeline fire, which broke out at 8.10 am last Tuesday, saw flames soaring over 30 metres with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius. It took nearly eight hours to fully extinguish the blaze.
A total of 87 homes were completely destroyed and rendered uninhabitable, while 148 other homes were damaged but deemed to be still livable after repairs.
ALSO READ: King presents aid to Putra Heights disaster victims
As of yesterday, 509 families had registered at the temporary relief centre, while some victims are staying elsewhere.
The number is expected to increase as some residents were away during the incident on the second day of Hari Raya.
Those who have yet to register are advised to do so to ensure they are not left out from receiving assistance. Registration will close at noon on Sunday - Bernama
