Caught on camera: Gas balloons explode in Mumbai society lift, narrow escape for three people

What began as a routine elevator ride for a small group of people in a Mumbai building quickly turned into a terrifying incident, as revealed by CCTV footage.

The video shows a woman wearing a white shirt entering the lift first, pulling a small trolley suitcase. She pressed the button for her destination floor. Moments later, a man carrying more than a dozen balloons stuffed into a large polythene bag attempted to get in. Noticing his struggle, the woman stepped aside to make room for him.

As the balloon seller moved inside and appeared to position himself in a corner, another man dressed in a black shirt tried to enter the elevator. At that instant, the balloons suddenly burst into a massive fireball inside the confined space.

For a brief moment, the flames engulfed the camera’s view, obscuring the three individuals. Seconds later, all of them were seen rushing out of the lift, with the man carrying the balloons losing his footing and falling to the floor.

According to a report by NDTV, a man and a woman sustained burn injuries, and confirmed that a case has been registered against the balloon seller. Authorities added that it remains unclear what type of gas was used to inflate the balloons.

While helium balloons are not flammable, the more uncommon hydrogen-filled balloons are extremely flammable.

Meanwhile, in November last year, hydrogen balloons meant for a grand entry at a couple’s Haldi celebration exploded, leaving the bride and groom with burn injuries. The video of the incident went massively viral.

In the then-viral clip, the couple was seen making their entry with hydrogen balloons when one of the colour guns used during the celebration was accidentally pointed upwards. The heat triggered a reaction with the balloons, causing them to burst in a small explosion.

“We never imagined the most special day of our lives would take such a drastic turn,” the couple wrote, explaining that what was meant to be a “fun, trending Haldi entry” left them “scarred - literally and emotionally”.

“We’re sharing this reel to create awareness about how dangerous these ‘viral ideas' can turn when safety is compromised,” they added.