SUBANG JAYA – The person behind a viral false claim of a death linked to the Putra Heights pipeline explosion incident is being investigated for slander and disseminating false information, said Selangor police chief Datuk Seri Hussein Omar Khan.
Hussein confirmed that police received a report from the district health department on the claim and identified the individual behind it.
“Police have opened an investigation paper under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation and Section 233 under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 at Petaling Jaya district police headquarters,” he said at a press conference held at the media centre at the incident site, here, today.
In the press conference, Hussein also said that 755 police reports have been filed, mostly by victims, about property damage and bodily injuries.
Meanwhile, 172 statements from witnesses have been recorded by the police as of today.
No forensic investigation at ground zero yet
Meanwhile, commenting on investigations at the blast site, Hussein said that the relevant agencies have carried out a 10m deep excavation on the pipeline site – 3m deeper than the depth of the pipeline installed.
However, he said that forensic investigations – meant to analyse the pipes linked to the explosion – have not been done at ground zero.
Works are also being done slowly and could not be expedited because of weak soil structure and rainfall causing water to stagnate. Terraces have to be built to support the soil structure and prevent the hole from collapsing as further excavation is being done.
“Nevertheless, we are working on carrying out these (excavation) processes for 24 hours with better machinery.
The state police chief also said that Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) will be hosting a “gotong royong” activity this weekend to clean 301 houses that have been cleared for residents’ returns, and urged volunteer groups to register with Selangor Volunteers as the site will be restricted.
He also stressed that ground zero is off-limits to volunteers.
The gas pipeline fire, which occurred at 8.10am on Tuesday, April 1, saw a fireball rise over 30m high, with temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius. It took nearly eight hours to be fully extinguished by 3.45pm.
The explosion displaced 1,254 people from 308 families and completely destroyed 87 houses. Another 148 houses were damaged but remained habitable.
Police are currently investigating the blast to determine its cause and identify if there are any criminal elements. Hussein previously said police took statements from contractors, subcontractors, and workers involved in excavation work carried out near the gas pipeline for sewage pipe replacement works.
However, he added that the names of those called will not be revealed as the incident has not been categorised as a crime.
Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that the state government has agreed to provide more than RM7.35 million in rental aid to 613 families that were affected by the incident. – April 10, 2025