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Balloon explosion: It was hydrogen, not helium

PUTRAJAYA: Police have confirmed that hydrogen gas was used for the balloons used as props at the Education Ministry’s 2019 National Sports Month event, here, on Saturday.

Putrajaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Rosly Hassan in a statement said hydrogen gas was highly sensitive to flames.

He said police have yet to identify the suspect who allegedly caused the incident.

As at 10am this morning, he said only four victims; two men and two women, were still being treated at the Putrajaya Hospital.

16 were injured in Saturday's incident, of which nine were children. Some of those injured were participants of the programme.

The victims, aged between 4 and their 30s, were rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital.

Rosly had said the incident occurred when someone tried to cut the string tied to a bunch of balloons with a cigarette lighter, when the flames struck one of the balloons before the whole bunch exploded.

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