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In Malaysia, your go-to daily bread usually falls into one of 3 brands: Gardenia, Massimo, or Sunshine (yes, we see you, artisanal sourdough enthusiasts — this one’s not about you). But for loyal Massimo fans, we’ve got some unfortunate news: from 4 Apr, your favourite loaves will be missing from shelves until further notice.
Here’s why: on 1 Apr 2025, while the country was in the midst of Hari Raya celebrations, tragedy struck Putra Heights in Subang Jaya. Around 8am, an explosion rocked the neighbourhood at Jalan Putra Harmoni.
Witnesses described a massive mushroom cloud, flames soaring 30 metres high, and intense tremors — all pointing to the suspected rupture of an underground gas pipeline owned by Petronas.
Temperatures reportedly hit a blistering 1K°C, with the blast scattering sand and gravel across several kilometres and impacting nearby areas like Puchong. Videos of the inferno quickly lit up social media.
Sadly, at least 111 people were injured, and emergency services had to evacuate homes within a 290-metre radius. Even the residents’ furry babies are impacted, with some unfortunately still missing after the chaos.
As of now, authorities are still piecing together what caused the devastating explosion with one possibility under scrutiny: the potential leak in the 30-year-old gas pipeline at the heart of the blast.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed that Petronas has yet to detect any signs of a leak. However, investigations are ongoing.
The incident consequently dealt a blow to The Italian Baker Sdn Bhd — the folks behind Massimo Bread — whose production relies on the now-disrupted LNG gas supply. They took to Instagram to confirm a temporary halt in bread production, meaning shelves will go Massimo-less for the time being.
If you still spot a pack or two at your local store, we suggest you snatch them up — they’re going fast. For any inquiries, Massimo’s Customer Support can be contacted at 1-800-22-6688.
From all of us at SETHLUI.COM, our hearts go out to those affected by this devastating event.
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