At least 22 members of the public were injured, including one person who sustained a serious head injury, after a firecracker explosion in Paya Besar at around 12:45 a.m.
Kulim District Police Chief, Superintendent Zulkifli Azizan, said the incident occurred while crowds had gathered in the area to watch fireworks.
“All the victims sustained injuries, but only one suffered a serious head wound measuring about 5 centimeters on the forehead,” he said in a statement.
He added that the remaining victims suffered minor burns and injuries to their hands and other parts of the body from contact with the firecracker’s explosive material.
Initial reports were received while officers were conducting a crime prevention patrol from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Monday.
The injured were immediately taken to Kulim Hospital for treatment.
“Officers on duty had received information about traffic congestion due to the crowd, and additional MPV and URB units were deployed to manage the situation,” Zulkifli said.
“Upon arrival, the response team found victims who had been injured by the firecrackers. Two ambulances provided immediate assistance at the scene,” he added.
Traffic congestion was successfully cleared once the injured were transported to the hospital and the crowd dispersed.
The case is being investigated under Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1958.
