Experts probing cause of blast, if flat — one of 20 units built in 2000 — still fit for occupation

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SIBU: A team of experts are now at the partially blown-off Block E in Sibu Jaya to probe the cause of the explosion and whether the building is still fit for occupation.

Among them are a team of engineers from Housing Development Corporation (HDC) – the body behind Sibu Jaya’s development that began two decades ago – experts from the police, including five forensic experts from Kuching and a Bukit Aman officer and three forensic experts from the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba).

They were seen at the scene yesterday, but they did not talk to pressmen on the explosion that has rocked the state.

The blast occurred at 2.48am on Saturday when a unit owner, S’ng Guan Hock, returned home with his children.

His two children were still inside his car when the 51-year-old man entered his unit at a corner lot on the ground floor and switched on the light, which might have ignited gas causing the explosion.

S’ng, who operates a mini grocery store in his unit, later in his hospital bed said he smelt gas when he entered the unit.

Sibu fire chief Abdul Mutalib Rashid said there was a possibility that the explosion was caused by a gas leak.

He said firemen going through the rubble had found a gas tank in S’ng’s kitchen which was still in good condition and had sent it for examination at their laboratory.

An expert at the scene yesterday revealed that the flats in Sibu Jaya were of integrated building system, which has been used in Singapore since the 1970s.

The technology involves fixing of pieces of cement slabs together.

HDC built the first 20 flats in 2000, and Block E was one of them.

Meanwhile, Welfare Department confirmed yesterday that 47 affected families had registered with them and 38 families with 242 members were staying at the Sibu Jaya multipurpose hall while others were putting up with their relatives.

Sibu welfare officer Norhayati Abdul Rahman said the victims stayed in two centres on Saturday, with the other one at Sibu Jaya police badminton hall.

She said she put them together in the multipurpose hall yesterday for efficient management.

“The condition at the centre is satisfactory. Food and water are provided.”

Norhayati said despite being well taken care of, the victims did not look happy, probably due to emotional and psychological stress.

“The Welfare personnel together with the Civil Defence personnel and a group of volunteers from Sibu Jaya will host a series of programmes to brighten them up.”

She said Sibu Water Board also came with their tanks to supply fresh water.