A 21-year-old student suffered burn injuries after gas-filled balloons exploded inside a lift at a residential building in Goregaon, prompting police to register a negligence case against a balloon shop owner, officials said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred around 10.30 pm on Monday at Amol Tower, when a delivery executive carrying multiple gas-filled balloons entered the lift. Moments later, the balloons suddenly exploded, injuring both the delivery worker and a student who was inside the lift.
Victims identified
The injured student has been identified as Himani Tapriya (21), who sustained burns to her right arm, neck and stomach. The delivery executive, Raju Kumar Mahato (32), also suffered burn injuries. Both were rushed to hospital for treatment. Police said Tapriya is now out of danger.
In her complaint, Tapriya told police that she had recently arrived in Mumbai from Surat to visit her aunt and had entered the lift to reach a relative’s flat.
“A person carrying a bunch of balloons entered the lift. Within seconds, the balloons exploded in his hands, and I suffered serious burn injuries,” she stated.
Negligence case registered
Police investigations revealed that Mahato had been sent by T K Jaiswal, owner of a balloon shop, to deliver balloons for a birthday celebration at the building. The order had been placed by a resident, Arpit Jain, for a family event. Mahato was reportedly carrying 10 to 12 gas-filled balloons at the time.
The Goregaon Police booked Jaiswal under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with negligence. An official said the shop owner failed to provide proper safety instructions or protective equipment to the delivery worker.
A legal notice has been issued to Jaiswal, and further inquiry is underway.
Safety concerns raised
While police have not officially confirmed the type of gas used, preliminary reports suggest the balloons may have been filled with hydrogen, a highly flammable gas, raising serious concerns about unsafe balloon-filling practices.
The incident has revived memories of similar accidents. Last month, five people were injured in Malegaon when a gas cylinder used to inflate balloons exploded near a Republic Day function.
Police said investigations are ongoing to determine safety violations and prevent such incidents in the future.