HELP University blast: Student in still coma, two others stable after AC explosion

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Three victims injured in the air-conditioning gas explosion incident at the HELP University campus in Bukit Damansara here on Monday are still receiving treatment in hospitals, while one has been discharged as of today.

Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said the first victim, Liew Ying Chen, 54, who suffered burns and had metal fragments embedded in his body following the incident, is currently being treated at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL).

“The victim, who works as a supervisor, sustained burns covering 24 per cent of his body and is conscious and stable after undergoing surgery,” he said in a statement today.

Fadil said another patient receiving treatment at HKL is a HELP University student, Reeya Kaur Thandal, 19, who suffered brain haemorrhaging and a fractured skull.

He said the student has been placed in the High Dependency Ward and is in a coma, under close medical monitoring.

In addition, another student of the university, Lya Izryn Irazeqh, 18, who suffered a fractured waist as a result of the incident, was admitted to HKL last Tuesday before being transferred for further treatment to Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur in Bangsar  here.

“The victim has completed dental surgery yesterday and is in stable condition, and is scheduled to undergo waist surgery tomorrow at 2 pm,” he said.

Meanwhile, another victim, a canteen worker at the university, Muhammad Rizki Rudi Hartono, 22, who was treated at Sungai Buloh Hospital, was discharged yesterday after the Indonesian national was reported to have not sustained serious injuries.

“Any further developments will be updated from time to time,” he said.

In the incident at about 11.40 am last Monday, a man died while nine others were injured. The deceased was identified as Soo Yu Juan, 24, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR). — Bernama