KUALA TERENGGANU: Three victims of the Batu Burok balloon explosion incident, who had only required outpatient treatment for their injuries, were rewarded yesterday.
They join 10 people – mostly primary school students – still warded at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital for burns as a result of the tragic accident.
State Health director Dr Mohammad Omar, who visited the victims yesterday, said one patient is still in Intensive Care.
He added that a team of committee members, comprising the department's officers, is investigating the accident.
During the Walk for the Blind event organised by the Ophthamology Department of the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital four days ago, about 150 white and black balloons, believed to contain flammable gas, were planned for release.
They were meant to be part of an opening gimmick, but failed to float away after their strings became entangled. The balloons were then left aside.
However, in the next session, some 30 people, mostly school children, tried to pull the balloons down, but failed.
An adult then decided to use a lighter to cut the entangled strings, triggering the explosion and ensuing fireball which engulfed nearby attendees.
Victims were rushed to the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital for burn treatment.