"I Feel Like I'm Homeless" — Retiree Loses 9 Properties Worth RM1.5M In Putra Heights Fire
His house was merely 30m to 40m from the explosion site.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 04 Apr 2025, 12:20 PM
A gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights, Selangor has turned a joyous Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration into a devastating loss for Zainudin Abdul Halim, 60, and his family
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, 1 April, not only destroyed his home and eight rental units, but also left him and eight family members injured.
"Now, I'm not B40 anymore... I feel like I'm homeless who has nothing," Zainudin, a retired civil servant from Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, told Berita Harian.
The grandfather has suffered damages of up to RM1.5 million.
Adding to his heartache, Zainudin had to cancel his family's umrah pilgrimage, which was initially scheduled for next Wednesday, 9 April.
Below is a video uploaded by one of his family members on TikTok, showing the contrast between the first and second days of Hari Raya celebrations at his residence:
Recounting the terrifying moment at 8am on Tuesday, Zainudin said he had just returned home after having breakfast with a friend
"That morning, I bought five plain roti canai and two roti telur for my children. I arrived home at about 8.10am, placed the food in the kitchen, and went into the room," he said.
He recalled that his wife was folding clothes at the time, and they were discussing plans to visit her hometown in Rembau.
"About five minutes later, I heard an explosion, and our house shook. After that, I heard a loud roar like a jet engine.
"When I looked outside, I saw things falling and the sky was red," Zainudin said.
Zainudin immediately screamed at his family to escape.
"My son suggested saving the car first, but I said no. If I had saved the car, I think I would have died," he shared.
They fled their home, taking refuge in a nearby house and dousing themselves with water before continuing to run from the intense heat.
Zainudin, his wife, three children, two sons-in-law, a grandchild, and his mother-in-law all sustained burn injuries. Zainudin himself suffered burns and wounds covering 70% of his body.
His son underwent surgery for severe burns to his feet, which he sustained while running barefoot to escape the flames.
After being discharged from the hospital, Zainudin and his family stayed at his daughter's home in Shah Alam.
He expressed his gratitude for surviving the ordeal, saying, "I am very grateful. Considering the location and time of the incident, I believe God had arranged the best [outcome]. If it had happened a second later or earlier, I would surely have died."
He noted that his house was merely 30m to 40m from the explosion site.
"We haven't returned to our home to assess the damage yet, but we hope the government can help us and other victims. This incident was beyond our control, and we seek proper justice from those responsible," he told Bernama.
The authorities are currently investigating the cause of the gas pipeline explosion.
