A public event was thrown into chaos when dozens of floating party balloons suddenly exploded in a massive fireball injuring 15 people.
A clip of the event taken at 5.30pm shows teachers and students holding a large cluster of green and white balloons at an annual party at the Allen Career Institute in Chandigarh, northern India.
On a stage, amid loud music and in front of a large crowd, a balloon ignites and instantly sets off the rest. There are thought to have been around 150 balloons.
Footage shows teachers and students holding a large cluster of green and white balloons at an annual party at the Allen Career Institute in Chandigarh, northern India
The five teachers and 10 students holding them are briefly engulfed in flame and some can be seen smouldering as they run off in fright.
All of them were taken to the city’s Government Medical College and Hospital but only suffered minor burns.
The Allen Career Institute, which offers courses in engineering and medicine, did not respond to media requests for comment.
Indian media said the explosion had been sparked when one of the floating balloons, which were filled with acetylene, touched a hot electric light bulb.
On a stage, amid loud music and in front of a large crowd, a balloon ignites and instantly sets off the rest. There are thought to have been around 150 balloons
The five teachers and 10 students holding them are briefly engulfed in flame and some can be seen smouldering as they run off in fright
Police said none of the people affected seemed to want to press charges.
Station House Officer Ajay Kumar said: ‘None of the injured has filed any complaint. We are still deciding if any action needs to be initiated.’
It was not clear why the balloons had been filled with acetylene to make them float rather than the more commonly used helium.
Helium is an inert gas and cannot burn while acetylene burns so well that it is commonly used in welding torches.
When used as welding torch fuel, it is mixed with pure oxygen to produce a flame of around 3,150 degrees Celsius.
Indian media said the explosion had been sparked when one of the balloons, which were filled with acetylene, touched a hot electric light bulb. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured