Firefighters battling a massive blaze at the Selangor Wholesale Market on Thursday night (July 23) faced a dangerous challenge as a series of small explosions erupted from an estimated 2,000 methane gas canisters stored inside the affected premises.
Assistant Director of Operations for the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Ashrul Riezal Asbar, said 68 firefighters, assisted by 67 volunteer firefighters, were deployed to contain the fire, which is believed to have started at about 10.50 PM.
Several small explosions occurred
A total of 15 fire stations from across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya, supported by 19 fire engines, took part in the large-scale operation.
“Based on our assessment at the scene, we were informed that approximately 2,000 methane gas canisters were stored inside the premises.”
“In the early stages of the operation, several small explosions occurred, but fortunately we managed to bring the situation under control by around 1.20 AM,” Ashrul said.
The department received an emergency call at 11.04 PM, with the first fire engine from the Seri Kembangan Fire and Rescue Station arriving just nine minutes later. Despite the intensity of the blaze and the repeated explosions, no casualties have been reported.
The challenges faced by the firefighters.
Firefighters also encountered difficulties securing a steady water supply after five nearby fire hydrants were found unusable because they were managed by a private entity. Strong winds also caused the fire to spread rapidly.
“As a result, we relied entirely on the water carried by our fire engines and water tankers throughout the firefighting operation,” he said, Harian Metro & Berita Harian reported.
According to JBPM, the blaze was fully extinguished at approximately 6.20 AM on Friday, with firefighters now focusing on extinguishing remaining hotspots and ensuring the site is safe. Authorities are awaiting the arrival of an excavator to clear debris from the collapsed structure to confirm that no victims were trapped in the incident.
Forensic personnel have also arrived at the scene to begin investigations as officials work to determine the cause of the fire.
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