KUALA LUMPUR: Volunteers who wish to participate in the mega gotong-royong programme to clean areas affected by the gas pipeline disaster in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, Selangor, this Saturday and Sunday (April 12 and 13) must register through the Selangor State Sports Council's website.
Selangor Police Chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said police personnel would control access to the affected area, and only those registered with Selangor Volunteers (Serve) would be allowed entry.
He said cleaning work would only be carried out around homes and areas certified safe by the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department and the Public Works Department.
"That is why we want everyone to register, to ensure that those involved only go to safe areas. The Subang Jaya City Council will lead and coordinate the programme," he told a press conference at the On-Site Control Centre in Putra Heights on Thursday (April 10).
On Wednesday (April 9), Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said around 1,000 volunteers are expected to take part in the clean-up and gotong-royong efforts in the gas pipeline fire area in Putra Heights this weekend.
Meanwhile, Comm Hussein said the public was still not allowed to enter the ground zero area, as soil stabilisation work was ongoing before forensic investigations could commence.
He said the area has been declared a disaster zone, and the public is prohibited from entering to facilitate the movement of machinery and investigation teams.
The gas pipeline fire, which broke out at 8.10am on April 1, saw flames soar over 30 metres high and temperatures reach 1,000 degrees Celsius. It took nearly eight hours to be fully extinguished. – Bernama
