By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
KUALA LUMPUR (Worthy News) – At least 145 people were injured, and many rushed to hospitals after a massive fire broke out at a natural gas pipeline near Malaysia’s largest city officials confirmed.
Witnesses saw a massive fireball showering flaming debris from the sky and shattering windows outside Kuala Lumpur, the capital.
National oil company Petronas announced that the fire had started at one of its natural gas pipelines but did not explain why it had burst into flames.
The inferno caused 20-story flames and a vast crater in an empty area near a residential neighborhood, according to witnesses and footage seen by Worthy News.
Malaysia’s Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad told the media that among the 145 injured people were at least three children.
He said “67 people” were still being treated at public hospitals, primarily for second and third-degree burns, while “37 others sought treatment from clinics and private hospitals.”
The fire department said the fire damaged 190 houses and 148 cars. Investigations were underway into the cause of the fire. Authorities said homes within 290 meters (yards) of the site will remain off-limits for now.
MUCH DAMAGE
“There is a lot of damage across housing areas,” warned Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who visited affected residents and pledged financial aid for victims. He told them the government and Petronas would be responsible for repairing affected homes, which could take months.
Survivors in evacuation centers described scenes of chaos that started with an explosion. “The fire is really raging high. And then once you can see debris – you’re talking about debris which is still on fire – started to fall all over the place, that’s (when) we know something bad has happened,” recalled Raja Hilmy Bin Raja Idris, 59, whose house was 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the fire.
Evian Wee, 50, told reporters that she initially thought a tornado or earthquake had struck.
“I saw a red glow moving around … I kept hearing things falling – glass, stones, all crashing in. All the windows were shattered,” she explained. “It started off with the explosion; then the windows started shaking violently. That’s when we realized it was an explosion that led to the fire.”
Petronas said it had “isolated” the pipeline and was working closely with all relevant parties to “ensure the safety” of the surrounding community and environment and the security of gas supply to the country.
Yet those efforts came too late for many impacted by the fireball-shaking parts of the Southeast Asian nation.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A government ban on major social media platforms that enraged young Nepalis has spiraled into the country’s deadliest political violence in decades, with authorities saying Sunday that at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds more injured during protests reflecting years of frustration over corruption, inequality, and “curbs on freedoms.”
Throughout the Hill Country, crosses, words of Jesus, prayers and messages of hope are written on memorials honoring nearly 150 killed from the catastrophic July 4 flash flood.
The NATO military alliance has begun rolling out its defensive posture on its eastern flank bordering Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. NATO leaders said the new equipment is aimed at deterring potential Russian aggression after at least 19 Russian drones entered Polish territory and Romania also reported a violation of its airspace.
Israel’s surprise strike on Hamas political leaders in Qatar showcased its growing arsenal of advanced ballistic missiles and its ability to deploy them at long range with precision, according to an exclusive report by the Wall Street Journal.
More than 100,000 people packed into central London on Saturday for what organizers billed as the largest free speech rally in British history. The “Unite the Kingdom” march, spearheaded by activist Tommy Robinson, featured a live video appearance by billionaire Elon Musk and a tribute to slain U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Christians in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province were among those struggling to survive Thursday, while in Indonesia, at least 19 people were confirmed dead after flash floods struck the tourist island of Bali and other regions as deadly monsoon waters swept across parts of South Asia.
Much of the world is mourning after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the born-again Christian conservative leader, who inspired his generation and whose widow praised him as a loving husband with a deep faith in Jesus Christ.