Methane gas explosions hamper firefighting at Selangor Wholesale Market

Firefighting operations at the Selangor Wholesale Market in Seri Kembangan encountered significant challenges overnight due to a series of small explosions. These explosions were attributed to the presence of roughly 2,000 canisters of methane gas within the premises. The volatile situation required a large-scale response from emergency services.

Over 68 officers and members of the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), supported by 67 volunteer firefighters, were deployed to the scene. Fifteen fire stations from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya, utilizing 19 fire engines, worked to contain the blaze. Despite initial explosions, firefighters managed to bring the situation under control around 1:20 AM.

The emergency call was received at 11:04 PM, with the first engine arriving nine minutes later. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. However, the operation faced logistical hurdles as five fire hydrants in the vicinity were unusable, being under private management. This forced the team to rely entirely on water carried by the fire engines and water tankers.

The investigation into the cause of the fire and the total financial losses is ongoing, as the firefighting efforts were not fully concluded at the time of reporting. The presence of a large quantity of methane gas canisters highlights potential safety concerns at the market.

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Based on the assessment at the location, we were informed that there were approximately 2,000 canisters of methane gas inside the premises. There were indeed several explosions initially, but Alhamdulillah, we managed to control them around 1:20 AM.