Chaos and Fire at Bali Restaurant Following Balloon Explosion

A beachside celebration in Bali, Indonesia, descended into chaos when a balloon reportedly exploded inside a popular establishment, igniting an intense fire. This incident occurred at the Chez Gado-Gado restaurant in the Seminyak resort area, leading to the hospitalization of an Australian teenager with burns, as reported by 7News.

Witness Tara Borelli, visiting from Sydney, explained to News.com.au, “There was a 70th birthday, with two balloons on the table. A waitress was lighting the birthday cake candle, but she got too close to a balloon.” The balloon popped and then exploded, engulfing the roof in flames that quickly spread.

Borelli recounted her quick reaction, “I grabbed my daughter and little cousin and ran straight to the beach.” The fire engulfed the restaurant within minutes, turning it into an inferno. Paul Cole, another witness, told 9News, “It was like a firecracker… people were screaming, crying, and running.”

“Initial extinguishing efforts using fire extinguishers by restaurant staff were unsuccessful because the fire had already grown large and spread quickly to the thatched roof,” stated a member of the Denpasar Police, based on eyewitness accounts.

The Badung Fire and Rescue Service reported that more than two hours were required to control the flames, according to The Bali Sun. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.

Another witness described the incident to 9News, emphasizing the panic caused by the explosions, “It was just, yeah, it was terrible.” Joe Xuereb, also present at the scene, remarked, “It was just bedlam. As soon as the fire started, people didn’t know what to do.”

The restaurant is now temporarily closed, as stated on its website. Greg Norman contributed to this report for Fox News Digital.