Latest news with #HusdinCheAmat
Malaysian Reserve
8 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Putra Heights gas explosion: DOSH confirms pipe met technical specs
SHAH ALAM — The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has confirmed that the gas pipe involved in the Putra Heights inferno last April met all the required technical specifications. DOSH Petroleum Safety Division director Husdin Che Amat said that, on the contrary, laboratory analysis revealed that the lower part of the pipe was not fully supported by the soil, which was found soft and damp, thus putting pressure on the surface of the pipe. He said that the weakened soil condition had caused repeated cyclic loading, resulting in stress lines and fatigue striations on the pipe's surface. 'This resulted in physical failure in the pipe at the scene, causing a gas leak that ignited (and led to the explosion). 'Metallographic analysis also showed that tensile overload was the main cause of the failure and that this damage developed slowly until it caused a ductile failure which released gas and sparked a fire,' he told a special press conference to announce the investigation report on the incident here today. Also present were Selangor Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Police Chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan. Elaborating, Husdin said DOSH, in collaboration with the Department of Minerals and Geoscience (JMG), Public Works Department (JKR), Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), had conducted a comprehensive investigation into the incident over nearly three months. During that period, he said five samples were collected and sent to SIRIM, a premier standard and industrial research organisation, for laboratory testing, which began on April 15 and concluded on May 8. He explained that the investigation methodology included on-site inspections, laboratory analysis, systems review, computer simulations, and hypothesis validation, which took into consideration pipeline operations, structural integrity, material conditions, and external stress factors. 'Based on findings from all agencies involved, we identified three critical elements: the pipeline fracture occurred at a welded joint due to tensile stress, the soil beneath was soft and loose, and there was significant cyclic loading prior to the failure and subsequent fire. 'In conclusion, the pipeline failure was caused by unstable soil conditions that were insufficient to support the weight and pressure of the pipe. This led to instability, leakage, and eventually, an explosion,' he said. Husdin said the investigation was conducted under the Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022 and the Petroleum (Safety Measures) Act 1984. He also confirmed that no elements of sabotage or negligence were found. As a preventive measure, DOSH has directed Petronas to identify and review all high-risk segments along its 2,680-kilometre gas pipeline stretching from Jerteh, Terengganu, to Singapore. 'Petronas has already identified these areas and has been instructed to carry out immediate remedial work along the affected segments,' he added, declining to disclose the exact locations for security reasons. — BERNAMA
Free Malaysia Today
9 hours ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Petronas to act after spotting similar risks in gas line network
DOSH petroleum safety division director Husdin Che Amat said the agency has discussed with Petronas the actions and measures that need to be taken in both the short and long term. SHAH ALAM : Petronas has identified other parts of its gas pipeline network that may be affected by the same issue that led to the April 1 explosion and blaze in Putra Heights, says the occupational safety and health department (DOSH). DOSH petroleum safety division director Husdin Che Amat said the agency has discussed with Petronas the actions and measures that need to be taken in both the short and long term. 'We have given clear instructions, as the issue has already been identified. Petronas will take proactive measures to implement the necessary improvements,' he told a press conference at the Selangor government's office here today. Earlier, Husdin said that parts of the gas line in Putra Heights had failed because the condition of the ground underneath was not strong enough to support the weight and pressure of the pipe. He said cyclic loading had left stress lines and fatigue striations on the surface of the pipe in Putra Heights, with the damage slowly spreading. This caused ductile failure which led to the leakage of gas, triggering the fire. On the pipeline, Husdin did not specify which locations had been identified by Petronas for improvement works. However, he said the pipeline spans 2,680km, from Kerteh to Segamat, to the border with Singapore and from Pengerang to Segamat and to the border with Thailand. He said investigations revealed that since the gas pipeline was commissioned in 2000, the ground had sunk by 24.3cm over a 25-year period. This soil settlement caused the pipeline to shift by 15.9cm, as confirmed by pipe samples showing signs of pressure and fatigue on its structure. The mineral and geoscience department also found that the ground in the affected area was saturated with underground water, leading to weakened soil conditions. Although the pipeline met all technical specifications and standards, investigators concluded that several environmental factors contributed to the failure. These included unstable ground, long-term water accumulation, the impact on monsoon drainage and culvert structures, climate stress and population density in the area. The investigating team concluded that these underground environmental conditions were the main cause of the pipeline's failure, which then led to metal friction and gas ignition at 8.08am on the day of the fire. Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari said the findings will serve as the basis for risk analysis in similar areas. 'A special committee under the state disaster management unit will be formed. 'This will involve experts, including from Petronas, to propose reforms to planning approvals, legal frameworks, and development policies that consider climate risks and the right-of-way corridors for gas pipelines,' he said.
South China Morning Post
13 hours ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia's huge gas pipeline inferno sparked by weak soil, not foul play: authorities
A massive gas inferno that rocked Malaysia in April was caused by long-term strain on the pipeline due to weak soil, authorities said on Monday, three months after over 1,000 people were evacuated as the intense heat destroyed homes and melted cars in the vicinity of the incident. Police said there was also no evidence of negligence or conspiracy to cause the disaster that decimated parts of the middle-class enclave of Putra Heights in Selangor state and sent more than 100 people to hospital with smoke inhalation and burns. Federal safety experts said the explosion happened in an area where the soil was waterlogged and 'very soft', causing long-term stress lines to form within the pipe from the constant movement under pressure. That led to an eventual break at the weld, which was its weakest point. 'The unstable soil surrounding the pipe was the main reason for the failure,' Husdin Che Amat, director for petroleum safety at the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, told a news conference on Monday. 01:34 Towering inferno erupts on outskirts of Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur Towering inferno erupts on outskirts of Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur The gas pipeline, operated by national energy giant Petronas, was used to deliver natural gas from its refinery in Kerteh district in northern Terengganu state to clients in the peninsula and all the way to neighbouring Singapore in the south.
New Straits Times
14 hours ago
- General
- New Straits Times
Ground subsidence behind Putra Heights pipeline explosion, says DOSH
SHAH ALAM: Ground subsidence has been identified as the cause of the underground pipeline explosion in Putra Heights on April 1, authorities said The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Malaysia Petroleum Safety Division director Husdin Che Amat said the ground beneath the pipe was not being strong enough to support the weight and pressure of the pipe, causing it to become unstable, leak and eventually explode. He said based on the findings, the gas pipe involved in the incident met all technical and safety specifications. "However, the lower part of the pipe was found to be not fully supported by the soil (unsupported segment) which was identified as soft and damp. "This resulted in a physical failure of the pipe section at the incident location, causing a gas leak that caught fire. "This weak soil caused the pipe to move repeatedly (cyclic loading), which created stress lines and fatigue striations on the pipe surface," he told a press conference today. Husdin said the metallography analysis showed that tensile overload was the main cause of the failure. "This damage developed slowly until it caused ductile failure which released gas and started a fire. "In conclusion, the pipe failure was caused by the soil under the pipe not being strong enough to support the weight and pressure of the pipe, causing it to become unstable, leak and eventually explode. "The location of this failure was not due to activities on the ground surface, but because the soil underneath did not support it well." He said DOSH conducted a comprehensive investigation for almost three months in collaboration with the Department of Minerals and Geosciences, the Public Works Department, the Fire and Rescue Department and the police. The investigation was conducted under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Amendment 2022) and the Petroleum (Safety Measures) Act 1984. The investigation process involved visual inspections at the scene, measurements and checks of gas pipe components and the collection of samples for laboratory analysis. On April 1, a massive fire broke out at a Petronas gas pipeline in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, causing widespread panic as flames shot into the air. The heat from the flames, visible for kilometres away, melted plastic and metal within a wide radius of the pipeline. Some 145 people, including three children, were affected, with a number of victims suffering second-degree burns. A total of 227 houses and 365 vehicles were damaged in residential areas near the pipeline.
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
Putra Heights inferno: Ground beneath pipe gave way, says report
SHAH ALAM: An investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Department has revealed that ground instability led to the gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights. The Petroleum Safety Department director, Husdin Che Amat, explained that the lower part of the pipeline was not adequately supported by the soft and moist ground. "This caused a physical failure at the pipe segment at the location of the blast, resulting in gas leakage which ignited and exploded," he said. Husdin added that the weak soil caused the pipe to move repeatedly, known as cyclic loading, generating stress lines and fatigue striations on the pipe surface. Metallographic analysis indicated that tensile overload was the primary cause of the failure, developing slowly until it resulted in ductile failure, releasing gas and triggering a fire. "In conclusion, the pipe failure was due to the ground beneath it not being strong enough to support its weight and pressure, causing instability, leakage, and eventually an explosion," Husdin said. However, investigations found that the gas pipe met specified technical standards. The mishap was not due to surface activities but because the ground beneath did not provide adequate support. Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed there were no acts of sabotage or carelessness involved in the Putra Heights Petronas pipeline blast. Comm Hussein said police investigated the incident under Section 435 of the Penal Code for committing mischief by fire and Sections 285 and 286 for negligence with fire or combustible matter. Investigations also focused on work carried out by contractors in the area. Meanwhile, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that a special committee will be established to implement measures to prevent similar tragedies. The explosion caused a large-scale fire, destroying homes, public infrastructure, and vehicles, and injuring around 150 people. The incident, which occurred just after 8am, caused flames to shoot over 30 metres high with heat reaching up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. It took almost eight hours to extinguish the fire, leaving a 9.8m-deep crater at the site. More than 500 residents were evacuated to relief centres, and some of those whose houses were completely destroyed have yet to return home as repairs are expected to take at least two years. Eighty-one houses suffered structural damage exceeding 40%, another 81 were partially damaged, and 57 were affected but not burned. More to come
