Two enforcement officers from the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) were injured when a bundle of balloons they had seized from a trader exploded last night.
The incident occurred around 10:45 p.m. on Jalan Kebun Bunga while the officers were loading the balloons onto a pickup truck. The trader, operating near the Thaipusam celebration area, had no valid trading permit.
RSN Rayer, chairman of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board, said the explosion happened as dozens of panthal stalls were beginning to close after the festivities. Preliminary investigations indicate that the balloons were filled with hydrogen gas, which is cheaper but highly flammable, unlike helium, which is non-flammable and safer for public use.
MBPP Mayor Datuk Rajendran Anthony confirmed that one officer was hospitalized while the other sustained minor injuries. Authorities are investigating the incident, and the stall operator is also expected to face scrutiny.
