PETALING JAYA: A year after the Putra Heights gas explosion, the intense and unrelenting heat remains vivid for the firefighters who responded to the incident.
For the first responders arriving at the scene, all emotions were put aside – saving lives was the only thing that mattered.
Subang Jaya fire station chief Mohammad Iskandar Zul Akbar Abdul Aziz said the fire was like nothing he had ever seen.
“We have tackled warehouse and factory fires before, but this was something else.
“Our main concern was evacuating the residents. Saving lives is always the priority,” he said.
ALSO READ:
- Putra Heights blast victims still in limbo
- Hope shines amid despair
- Safety review urged a year after gas pipeline explosion
Mohammad Iskandar Zul Akbar, who was among the earliest at the site, recalled advising colleagues to look after themselves before undergoing the operation.
“Being worried was an understatement,” he said.
Fellow officer Muhammad Faiz Ramli said he had never imagined seeing such a fire in person.
“It just can’t be explained. The heat was the first thing that hit me. It’s difficult to put into words. The only thing on my mind was my duty as a firefighter to save lives,” he recalled.
“We all just put our heads together to work as a team.”
Officer Muhammad Syafiq Mohamad Lawi, who entered the site on day two, initially could not imagine the scale of the incident.
“The scenes were shocking and unexpected. The only thing on my mind was hoping that those affected would be able to be strong through these moments,” he said.
Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said the incident underscored the strong sense of unity and commitment displayed by all agencies involved.
“As one of the earliest to arrive and acting as part of the planning team, the incident became a defining experience for all involved. It was also an incident that personally tested my tactical and technical capabilities,” he said.
