Preakas said the ongoing investigation into the incident must be thorough and include a reassessment of the safety of housing areas developed near gas pipelines.

“The government must ensure that this place is safe and conduct a thorough review of the situation.

“We need to re-evaluate whether it is safe to have houses built so close to gas pipelines,” he told FMT at the incident control post in Putra Heights here.

Although the authorities have assured him that the area is now safe, he said residents deserved to get further reassurances from experts after what they have been through the past few days.

“We have to be fair to the residents. They have gone through significant trauma.

“That is why we want all relevant agencies and experts to give a proper assurance that this place is safe for them to return to,” he added.

The fire, which broke out on Tuesday morning, engulfed a 500m section of the pipeline, leaving 111 people with burns and respiratory issues.

The blaze also damaged or destroyed nearly 400 vehicles and displaced 538 residents from 120 families, who were moved to two temporary relief centres.

Preakas said among the biggest concerns of victims was access to reliable information, repeating calls for a singular official channel to keep them informed on updates of the situation.

“They also want better coordination from the authorities, especially in terms of applying for aid to replace their damaged cars, homes and other essential items,” he said.

The DAP assemblyman said discussions were ongoing to determine the options for residents whose homes were severely damaged by the blaze, though there was no timeline yet on relocations.

He reiterated that compensation was subject to assessment of each home but said he was engaging the relevant agencies to see what kind of support could be provided.

“Some may want a replacement house, some may opt for rented accommodation. These are all factors that need to be considered.”