The sky drizzled lightly as volunteers walked through the disaster zone, umbrellas in hand, going door-to-door to register affected families. The scene resembled a war zone - charred vehicle frames, buildings with scorched walls, shattered windows, and broken roof tiles. What was once a peaceful neighborhood had been torn apart by an unexpected gas pipeline explosion on April 1, 2025, in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Tzu Chi volunteer Heng Thor Gan has been responsible for coordinating the incident since the incident. He thanked the community volunteers for their concerted efforts in setting up tents, distributing daily necessities, and caring for the affected families at the evacuation center. He was also grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for sharing online their experience of the 2014 Kaohsiung gas explosion. The team in Malaysia learned that not only did the hard-hit areas need care, but surrounding residents would have been frightened by the incident as well.

The challenges were numerous. Initially, police completely restricted access to the worst-hit areas for safety reasons. When permission was finally granted on April 12, new obstacles emerged - requiring detailed personal information from all 77 volunteers, then delays due to heavy machinery clearing debris. At one point, only ten volunteers were allowed into the most dangerous zones. Through it all, the team remained patient and determined.

For residents like Junaidah Bt Nordin, who had lived in Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru since age two, the explosion came during Eid al-Fitr celebrations. "The heat was unbearable," she recalled of fleeing to the river with neighbors. Though no lives were lost, her home sustained severe damage. "This house was left by our ancestors, we grew up here, we are used to life here, and it is full of childhood memories. We don't want to move, but we can't afford repairs." Choking up, she was grateful for the care from Tzu Chi volunteers.

Twenty-six-year-old Mohamad Aizaq Adam Bin Amat Puad returned from visiting family to find his inherited home destroyed. "The heat melted everything," he said, maintaining composure though clearly distressed. The young IT worker now faces impossible choices about whether to rebuild or relocate. "Help from organizations like Tzu Chi means everything right now," he admitted.

In the days following the disaster, over 250 Tzu Chi volunteers visited more than 400 households in adjacent communities like Kampung Tengah that, while not directly damaged, had experienced tremendous fear. They delivered care packages with basic necessities and a letter of support.

Normila Binti Jamil described jumping into a river to escape the 1,200°C heat wave despite not knowing how to swim. "Such interfaith care comforts me," she said after receiving volunteers. Others like Tarmizi B. Mezamel saw the visits as hopeful signs: "After misfortune comes good fortune."

Prominent Malaysian businessman and Tzu Chi volunteer Vincent Tan also participated in the outreach. "Disasters reveal both suffering and human goodness," he observed. "When we cross boundaries to help each other, that's where hope begins."

For volunteer Shang Ming Yeoh, who cut short a trip to Nepal to help, compassion took simple forms. Sharing breakfast bread with a local man opened a conversation about his daughter's upcoming wedding amidst the devastation. "Sometimes a smile is enough to make the world feel less cold," Yeoh reflected.

Photographer Connie Teng documented not just damage but resilience. "My lens captures human connections," she said, focusing on how volunteers listened as survivors shared their stories - like a student whose friend lost all school materials right before exams. Volunteer Chil Kin Tan emphasized: "We're here to accompany people through their darkest moments."

In the aftermath of tragedy, these quiet acts of listening and companionship have planted seeds of hope amid the ashes. Whether through supplies, photographs, or simple presence, volunteers brought light to places shadowed by loss, reminding survivors they have not been forgotten.

Compiled from articles written by Bon Lan Loo, Ah Tong Sia, Kim-Hion Tan, Sheau-Yuan Chin, Zhi-Jie Li, Mei-Ki Fong, Sou Chang Lai, Yi-Min Chen, Siew-Chern Tan, and Siew Yen Kong.