By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 1: The Peninsular Gas Utilisation (PGU) system is designed with multiple layers of safety and resilience, underpinned by over three decades of engineering and operational experience, PETRONAS Gas Berhad (PGB) reaffirmed today following the release of official findings into the April 1 gas pipeline explosion at Putra Heights in Subang Jaya, Selangor.
In a statement responding to the investigation report issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) today, PGB said it acknowledges the findings and remains fully committed to transparency, continuous improvement, and the well-being of the affected community.
“PGB reiterates our ongoing commitment to full transparency, continuous improvement, care for those affected, and to continue its collaboration with the Special Taskforce and relevant authorities,” the company said.
Since the incident, PGB said it has mobilised substantial efforts to ensure public safety, support the impacted community, and maintain gas supply continuity across the country.
“This incident is unprecedented in the history of our gas transmission system, and we fully recognise the public concerns surrounding the safety of the pipeline system, especially with the continuity of gas flow through the network.
“Our systems and people are working continuously to ensure secure and reliable gas delivery,” the company added.
The explosion, which occurred just after 8am on April 1, resulted in a devastating fire that injured around 150 people, destroyed dozens of homes and public infrastructure, and displaced over 500 residents.
Flames reportedly soared more than 30 metres high and reached temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, leaving a crater nearly 10 metres deep at the blast site.
According to The Star news report, investigations by DOSH revealed that the explosion was caused by ground instability beneath the pipeline.
Petroleum Safety Department director Husdin Che Amat explained that the soil at the site was soft and moist, failing to provide adequate support for the pipeline.
“This caused a physical failure at the pipe segment at the location of the blast, resulting in gas leakage which ignited and exploded,” he said.
He further noted that the repeated movement of the pipeline, known as cyclic loading, led to the development of stress lines and fatigue striations. Metallurgical analysis confirmed that the pipe experienced tensile overload which gradually developed into ductile failure, allowing gas to escape and ignite.
However, investigations also confirmed that the pipeline met all technical specifications and standards. The failure was attributed not to external interference or surface activities, but to the inadequate support from the ground below.
The blast left 81 homes severely damaged with over 40 per cent structural loss, while another 81 were partially affected and 57 sustained minor damage. Many families remain in temporary shelters, with full restoration of homes expected to take up to two years. — DayakDaily
