Sri Lanka, April 1 -- A colossal fire erupted Tuesday in a Malaysian suburb outside Kuala Lumpur due to a burst gas pipeline, prompting evacuations of nearby homes.

The towering inferno near a gas station in Putra Heights in central Selangor state was visible for kilometres. National oil company Petronas said in a statement that the fire broke out at one of its gas pipeline at 8.10am.

It said in a brief statement that the affected pipeline has been isolated. Three gas stations nearby the fire site were not affected but have been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure, Petronas said, adding that investigations are still underway.

The Selangor Disaster Management unit said in a statement that the blaze spread to several houses in ...