A government pensioner, Zainudin Abdul Halim, 60, is reeling from the devastation caused by the gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights on Tuesday (April 1), which destroyed nine of his properties and belongings; amounting to over RM1.5 million in losses.

“Now, I am not even B40. I’m like a homeless person who has nothing,” he said, expressing his grief in an interview with Harian Metro.

Among the nine properties lost were his family home and eight rental units. The tragedy also forced him to cancel his plans to perform Umrah, which was scheduled for the following week.

Despite suffering burns and injuries on 70% of his body, Zainudin remains grateful to have survived. “Looking at the location and timing of the explosion, I believe God arranged everything in the best possible way. If the blast had happened a moment earlier or later, I would not be here. My house was only 30 to 40 meters from the explosion site. I feel like I would have been the first to die.”

Zainudin also shared that his son recently underwent surgery due to severe burns on his feet, sustained while fleeing barefoot during the incident.

### Recalling the Tragic Morning

The explosion occurred on the second day of Hari Raya. Zainudin had returned home around 8:10 a.m. with breakfast for his family.

“Just five minutes later, I heard a loud explosion, and the house shook. Then came a deafening roar, like a jet engine. When I looked outside, something was falling from the sky, and the sky turned red,” he recalled.

Realising the urgency of the situation, he immediately instructed his family to evacuate. “My children asked me to save the car, but I said I couldn’t. Had I done that, I wouldn’t have made it. One of my tenants, a healthcare worker, was also urging everyone to run for safety.”

Zainudin and his family ran about 100 meters before taking shelter at a nearby house, where they doused themselves with water to cope with the intense heat. They then continued running for another 100 meters before reaching a safe distance. First responders later transported them to the hospital for treatment.

While the emotional and financial toll is immense, Zainudin’s perspective remains grounded in gratitude for survival. “Losing everything is painful, but being alive is a blessing I will never take for granted.”

Source / Image Credit : Free Malaysia Today