Caught on cam: Balloon seller's helium tank explodes in Trichy, one killed

A balloon seller's helium tank exploded in a busy market street in Tamil Nadu's Trichy district on Sunday night killing one person and injuring many others.

Footage from CCTV cameras in nearby shops in the Kottai Vasal neighborhood, a major market area that was packed because it was the weekend, showed a big blast and people running in different directions.

A report in Times Now identified the person killed as Maattu Ravi. who had come to buy balloons from the vendor. A 13-year-old boy was among the several victims who suffered injuries.


The blast was so big that it damaged an autorickshaw, a few two wheelers and the windshield of a car parked nearby.

A report in News18 said the balloon seller, identified as Nar Singh from Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested on charge of “causing death by negligence”. He was selling balloons by allegedly placing the helium gas cylinder on a two-wheeler.