A sudden explosion at a private university in Kuala Lumpur has left one person dead and at least nine others injured, including four students today.
Authorities confirmed that a total of 20 individuals were in the affected area when the incident occurred, with one victim succumbing to their injuries.
Blast traced to air conditioning compressor
Kuala Lumpur Police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus said police received an emergency call about the explosion at 11.40am.
As reported by The Star, the blast originated from an air conditioning compressor in a maintenance area located beside the cafeteria on the fourth floor of the university building.
Initial investigations indicate that the compressor exploded with enough force to damage surrounding walls and victims suffered burns and injuries caused by debris from the blast.
Many injured
All injured individuals were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, including University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur Hospital and Sungai Buloh Hospital.
Besides the four students, injured victims included two external contractors who were carrying out air conditioning repair work, one university staff member and two foreign nationals working as cafeteria attendants.
Fadil noted that the area was not heavily crowded at the time as many students were still on holiday.
Police and Fire and Rescue Department personnel carried out safety inspections immediately after the incident to rule out the risk of another explosion.
Authorities have since confirmed that the area is now safe, while investigations into the cause of the blast remain ongoing.
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