SERDANG, July 24 -- Firefighters battled a major blaze at the Selangor Wholesale Market in Seri Kembangan last night, where the presence of 2,000 methane gas canisters sparked a chain of explosions.

The operation was severely hampered by a critical infrastructure failure. Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Operations Division Assistant Director Ashrul Riezal Asbar said that five nearby fire hydrants were unusable because they were under private management, forcing crews to rely entirely on water from fire engines and tanker lorries, BH reported.

The fire, believed to have started at approximately 10:50 pm, spread rapidly due to strong winds. The intensity of the flames and thick smoke were so severe that the fire was visible fro...