Higher Education Ministry demands full campus inspections following blast at Bukit Damansara varsity

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 12 — The Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) has instructed HELP University to conduct thorough safety inspections immediately in the wake of an explosion at the university in Bukit Damansara during the maintenance of the university’s air conditioning system that killed a man and injured nine others this morning.

The inspections will encompass all campus facilities and the university must ensure the affected areas are verified safe by the authorities before being used, and that welfare support, including medical and psychosocial services, are provided to all victims involved, the ministry added.

“The ministry stresses its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff at all institutions of higher learning through compliance of safety standards, periodic maintenance and cooperation with related agencies,” the ministry said in a statement today.

The ministry will continue to monitor developments and will not compromise on safety aspects to ensure a safe and conducive campus environment, it added.

A 24-year-old man who worked for the contractor company died while receiving treatment at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, while the nine other victims, including four students, were injured in the explosion, believed to have occurred in the air conditioning maintenance area next to the university’s cafeteria. — Bernama