A terrifying explosion engulfed an elevator in Mumbai when a bundle of gas-filled party balloons suddenly caught fire on Monday night, leaving two people with burn injuries.
CCTV footage captured the dramatic moment when the balloons erupted into a fireball seconds after delivery man Raju Kumar Mahato, 32, entered the elevator at Amol Tower in Goregaon, a Mumbai suburb. The video shows Himani Tapriya, a 21-year-old student, already inside the lift with her suitcase when Mahato enters carrying approximately 10-12 balloons. A third person dressed in black barely steps inside before the entire elevator is suddenly engulfed in flames.
All three occupants managed to escape as the doors remained open, though the fire continued to rage inside the elevator. Tapriya suffered burns to her arms, neck, and stomach, while Mahato also sustained injuries. Remarkably, no one was seriously hurt in the incident.
“I had just arrived at the building from Surat and took the lift to go to my aunt’s flat when a person carrying around a dozen balloons in his hand exploded, causing serious injuries to my right arm, neck and stomach,” Tapriya told authorities.
Police have launched a negligence case against the shop owner who sold the balloons. According to local reports, the owner has been charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 125 for failing to provide safety instructions to the delivery person.
The balloons were reportedly ordered by building resident Arpit Jain for a family birthday celebration. While the exact type of gas used in the balloons hasn’t been confirmed, experts note that while helium balloons are not flammable, hydrogen-filled balloons are extremely dangerous and highly flammable.
Recent Comments