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Hydrogen Balloon Explosion Injures Council Officers During Thaipusam

2/3/2026

Summary

Story summary

A hydrogen balloon explosion injured two Penang Island City Council officers during a Thaipusam cleanup along Jalan Kebun Bunga as they transferred balloons from an unlicensed vendor.
One officer was hospitalized and the other sustained minor injuries.
Investigations are ongoing into the vendor's lack of a valid trading permit.
The explosion overshadowed the record-breaking Thaipusam festival, which attracted around one million visitors, as over 1,000 police were deployed for crowd control.

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Story summary

A hydrogen balloon explosion injured two Penang Island City Council officers during a Thaipusam cleanup along Jalan Kebun Bunga as they transferred balloons from an unlicensed vendor.
One officer was hospitalized and the other sustained minor injuries.
Investigations are ongoing into the vendor's lack of a valid trading permit.
The explosion overshadowed the record-breaking Thaipusam festival, which attracted around one million visitors, as over 1,000 police were deployed for crowd control.