One year on, families put the past behind and work towards healing
PETALING JAYA: In the early hours of April 1 last year, A. Puspagaran, his wife and their two children were fast asleep at their home in Taman Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights.
In the stillness of the morning, they were jolted awake to a deafening explosion.
Moments later, an orange glow engulfed the neighbourhood.
“I took a look around and saw the tiles in the home starting to crack. The house then began to shake and the only thing on my mind was to get my family out,” said the 48-year-old.
Amid the rush to escape, Puspagaran heard the screams of neighbours attempting to dash out.
“My wife and son suffered some burns while escaping, taking them months to recover.
“Another son suffered bruises as he tripped while running,” he said, adding that they left only with the clothes they had on.
Puspagaran was among the many residents whose homes were razed by the Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion.
The trauma of the blast continued to linger among the family for weeks after the incident.
For the past year, he has been living in a rented home nearby while waiting for repairs to be completed.
“I lived several hundred metres from the site and my house has been completely destroyed.
“Repairs, however, have been going well and I hope to move back in soon.
“I am just very thankful that all of us were safe through the incident,” he said.
For another resident, the shock came from afar.
Abdul Ghani Abdul Aziz, 58, who was out of town celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri during the incident, described being at a loss for words upon seeing the destruction of his home.
“The house was a complete mess. Our first objective was to rescue our cats that were at home during the time,” he said, adding that this was greatly aided by authorities.
His cats too are still traumatised by the incident.
“Every time a loud sound is heard, they jolt and run for cover. Even after a year, the scars remain not only for us, but also our pets,” he said.
“I learnt about the blast from my brother. We had just arrived at our destination a night prior and the next day, we immediately rushed back to Putra Heights,” he said.
Abdul Ghani, too, has been living at a rented house for about a year after having spent several weeks at the temporary relief centres opened for victims.
“The aid has been helpful but we want firm assurance that this place will be safe for us to live in again. It’s our home,” he said.
Recent checks by The Star at ground zero revealed major restoration works being carried out at many houses in the neighbourhood.
In some corners, charred vehicles remain untouched, serving as stark reminders of the blast that changed the neighbourhood.
