Hot Air Balloon Explodes In Pacitan, 4 Injured

Illustration of hot air balloons (ANTARA)

Unfortunately, four residents of Grogol Hamlet, Tahunan Village, Tegalombo District, Pacitan Regency, when an unmanned hot air balloon fell at Katiyah's house (79) on Wednesday, May 1 morning.

The hot air balloon is 2 x 5 meters in diameter and falls at Katiyah's house. The balloon fell on the terrace and lay on an electric cable.

Seeing this, Sumarmin (51) and his son, Ivan Almutain (12) tried to lower the giant balloon.

Unexpectedly, the balloon exploded. So harsh the explosion, Sarmin and Katiyah who sat in front of the terrace were also hit by an explosion that was suspected of being firecrackers.

As a result of the explosion, Sumarmin's body, ranging from face, hair, chest, hands, to thighs, suffered serious burns. His son suffered burns to his face, hands, with almost severed fingers. Sarmin and Katiyah suffered minor burns to their hands and feet.

Katiyah's house was not damaged significantly, but plastic used for air balloons and paper from firecrackers was scattered in front of his house. The smell of firecracker powder is still smelled because there are several firecracker powders that do not catch fire or explode.

"It happened that a balloon hit this house, then after that the firecrackers in the balloon exploded," said RT head Latief Wijayanto.

Latief explained that the sound of the explosion from the firecrackers carried by the balloon was heard up to a radius of 1 kilometer. He also thought that an LPG gas cylinder exploded.

He did not know exactly where the unmanned hot air balloon came from, because so far in his village no one had ever made a hot air balloon. Even for the hot balloons that fell in his village, this was the first time this had happened. Even if a balloon falls, it usually falls in the forest.

"This is the first time it has fallen on the house, if you don't know, suddenly it has fallen," said Latief.

Meanwhile, the ER doctor at Dr. Harjono Ponorogo Hospital, Peni Sayekti, said that the two victims who were being treated in the ER due to explosions of hot air balloons and firecrackers in Pacitan were currently in stable condition. The father and son suffered burns to the face and hands when taken to the ER in a conscious condition.

"Yes, the burning balloon, also because of the explosion of firecrackers," said Peni.

Currently, the police are still investigating the origin of the unmanned hot air balloon. A number of pieces of evidence of firecracker paper, and the air balloon frame are now being secured at the Tegalombo Police for further investigation.