A 24-year-old engineering intern has died and nine others were injured after an air-conditioning compressor exploded at a private university in Selangor on 12 January 2026, police and university officials said.

According to Channel NewsAsia, the explosion occurred at around 11:40 a.m. in a maintenance area next to the cafeteria on the fourth floor of HELP University’s Bukit Damansara campus while workers were conducting routine maintenance on a large air-conditioning unit.

The lone fatality was Soo Yu Juan, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) who was on a three-month engineering internship with an air-conditioning maintenance company. UTAR’s Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering dean, Prof Chang Yoong Choon, said Soo was due to complete his industrial training later this week.

Soo was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) after the blast but later died while receiving treatment, authorities confirmed. Nine other people suffered injuries ranging from minor to serious and were also taken to nearby hospitals for care. The injured included four students, two other maintenance contractors, a building maintenance worker and two cafeteria employees, according to the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department.

Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene shortly after the explosion and found that about 30 per cent of the fourth floor was damaged, but no fire had broken out, The Star reported. A Hazmat team was deployed to check for any gas leaks, but none were found, authorities added.

In response to the incident, the Malaysian Higher Education Ministry ordered HELP University to conduct immediate and comprehensive safety inspections of all campus facilities. The ministry emphasised that all affected areas must be certified safe by authorities before being reopened, and must ensure victims receive medical and welfare support.

Officials have not yet determined the exact cause of the explosion. The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department is continuing its investigation, and authorities are expected to release further details once inquiries are completed.

University management said emergency protocols were activated promptly after the blast, with students and staff safely evacuated from the campus. HELP University added that it is working with relevant authorities and providing assistance to the families of those affected.