Shortly after 8 am on April Fools’ Day, social media was flooded with images and video clips showing a massive orange mushroom-shaped explosion.
What was first thought to be an incident overseas turned out to be in Puchong – or more precisely, in Putra Heights – a densely populated area in Selangor. A fire had broken out at a gas pipeline, owned by Petronas Gas Bhd, in Putra Heights, causing huge flames to shoot up into the air.
This writer, who was on duty that particular day – which was also the second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri – was expecting an uneventful day when she reported for work. The festive period usually promises a more relaxed pace at work. But not this time.
LOCATION
Upon receiving instructions from the Bernama news editor, the writer – who lived only about three kilometres from where the fire occurred – rushed to the location. Thick smoke and towering flames, visible from a distance, served as a guide for the writer who did not have the exact location of the incident.
The news editor’s words, “This is a major fire. If possible, report on the current situation and get reactions from nearby residents,” echoing in her ears, the writer found herself in Kampung Seri Langkas, situated about two km from the fire site. The heat was intense there.
“We heard an explosion and our house shook as if a jet had crashed. Then we heard people shouting outside and when we looked out of the window, the sky had turned orange. We couldn’t even stand in front of our house because the flames were so intense and much higher than they are now,” Jamilah Mamat, 46, a resident of the nearby Kampung Sri Aman, said when interviewed by Bernama at about 11 am that day.
“We had to flee through the back door because our house faces the river (Klang River) and the fire was in the area across the river, about three km from our house.”
Jamilah said many foreign workers living across the river jumped into the water to save themselves.
“They ran towards us... they were soaking wet and panic-stricken,” she added.
The writer’s smartphone rang again. This time, the newsroom directed the writer to head to Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, which was believed to have been badly affected by the fire based on viral video clips.
A WhatsApp group named “Puchong Gas Fire” was created specifically for Bernama staff covering the disaster. It buzzed nonstop with notifications from fellow reporters and the newsroom, sharing updates as well as the latest information provided from the authorities including the police, fire department and the Subang Jaya City Council.
On their way to Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, the writer and Bernama photographer Nur Syaheda Imran decided to drive to the temporary evacuation centre at Masjid Putra Heights to talk to some of the displaced residents who were sheltering there, as well as to get a brief respite from the scorching midday sun and the heat from the fire.
Unfortunately, all routes to the mosque and Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru were blocked off. However, perhaps moved by pity at the sight of the two media personnel drenched in sweat, a few local residents assisting the police in securing the access road to the disaster zone allowed us to enter Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, located close to the fire site.
But one of them warned us, “We won’t be held responsible if your car melts or if there’s any danger. You take that risk yourself.”
LIKE A BATTLEGROUND
Entering Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru was like stepping into a war zone. Along the road, smoke continued to billow from houses where the flames had already been extinguished.
What truly left the writer and photographer stunned was the sight of the vehicles belonging to the residents there. The cars, lorries and even a school bus had practically melted after being exposed to the intense heat of the flames.
Most homes had lost their roofs and some were reduced to skeletal frames as if they had been bombed. Thankfully, the incident occurred while many residents were back in their hometowns or villages to celebrate Hari Raya. All the remaining occupants managed to flee their homes in time.
“The area (here) looks like (a scene from the) war in Gaza,” remarked a firefighter who was taking a short break to drink some water.
“Some house owners here had just returned from their kampung and were shocked to find their homes burned down.”
Bernama managed to talk to Fiqrie Jusdean, chairman of Kampung Tengah Development and Security Committee, who was at the scene with several committee members, inspecting and surveying the extent of damage to the homes.
He said according to their findings, the three areas that were badly affected by the fire were Kampung Tengah and Kampung Kenangan, and Kampung Kuala Sungai Muda which was the worst hit.
“Thank God, most of the victims from these villages have been relocated to safe places. We’re only here to assist the authorities with the evacuation,” Fiqrie added.
The smell of gas and burnt materials still lingering in the air, we were handed face masks by the firefighters who advised us to wear them for our safety.
Next, we made our way to Masjid Nurul Iman in Kampung Tengah, which had been turned into a medical emergency hub to treat minor injuries and burns, operated by the Selangor Health Department.
CRITICISM
“Yesterday was the first day of Raya, and today we lost everything in the blink of an eye,” said one of the affected residents who were there. Others said they were waiting for permission to return to their homes to assess the damage and retrieve personal belongings.
Fellow media colleagues also shared their experiences as they worked to capture footage and photographs of the disaster for their news organisations.
Sin Chew Daily photographer Chai Woei Chyuan, 62, said some of his fellow photographers suffered from the effects of the heat from the blazing sun and fire.
“A camera belonging to a photographer got damaged… its shutter melted due to the intense heat,” he said, adding, “I can say that covering this fire was so hazardous that even our tools of the trade were at risk.”
Many journalists covering the fire also took to sharing information via their social media platforms. One of them, Bernama TV reporter Muhd Muzammil Abdullah, said some of those posts drew criticism from netizens who accused the media of withholding information.
“It was disappointing to see some of the posts from netizens who claimed the media was hiding the facts and avoiding reporting the truth to the public.
“Our reports were based on real-time updates and information from the authorities.
“Any official information we publish must be based on verified statements… we cannot simply speculate. Unfortunately, many people assumed we were not reporting the truth,” he said.
Any journalist will attest that obtaining accurate information during disaster coverage is no easy task. Interviewing victims and gathering reliable details often prove difficult, especially with tight restrictions imposed by the authorities for safety or security reasons.
As aptly said by the deputy rector for Student Development and Community Engagement at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Fauzan Noordin, many netizens practice tibaiyun (spreading news without verification) instead of tabayyun (verifying the authenticity of information).
“There are far too many ‘instant journalists’ today who don’t even bother to check the facts, which is a basic requirement in journalism. As a result, fake news spreads like wildfire, often exaggerated as if it were the absolute truth. And with today’s advanced technology, false information spreads even faster.
“Credible media outlets are responsible for fact-checking and correcting misinformation,” he told reporters after attending a Hari Raya Aidilfitri function at the IIUM campus last Monday.
