A gas pipeline fire near Kuala Lumpur injured 33 people, forcing evacuations and rescue efforts. The blaze, caused by a pipeline leak, occurred during Eid celebrations.

At least 33 people sustained injuries after a fire erupted at a gas pipeline operated by Malaysia's state energy firm, Petronas, on Tuesday, according to the fire department.

Authorities reported that six of those injured in the incident required hospitalization.

The fire broke out near the capital, Kuala Lumpur, forcing several residents to flee their homes in fear.

According to a statement from Selangor state fire officials, the blaze, which occurred during Eid celebrations, was triggered by "a gas pipeline leak stretching approximately 500 meters (1,600 feet)."

Emergency response teams acted swiftly, shutting off the valve to the affected pipeline to contain the situation, the statement confirmed.

Eyewitnesses described the fire as massive, with flames visible from several kilometers (miles) away.

Seven residents had to be rescued from their homes after their houses caught fire due to the incident, the statement added.

Selangor Disaster Management Committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi told state news agency Bernama that people were trapped in houses in the village of Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, and rescue operations were ongoing.

"All of a sudden, we heard a loud bang and then total chaos," a resident living near the site of the fire told The Star newspaper.

"We immediately left the house and soon saw other residents leaving too," the resident added.

The fire coincided with Eid celebrations, which mark the conclusion of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.