Balloons explode during opening ceremony, 7 students hospitalized with burns

On the morning of September 5, during the opening ceremony at Yen Phu Primary School (Yen Dinh district, Thanh Hoa), some students took balloons to play, unfortunately the balloons exploded, causing 7 children to be burned.

According to information from Tien Phong newspaper, on the morning of September 5, Ms. Nguyen Thi Advise - Head of Education and Training Department of Yen Dinh district (Thanh Hoa) confirmed the incident of 7 students at Yen Phu Primary School, Yen Phu commune being burned due to balloon explosion in the morning of the start of the new school year 2023-2024.

According to Ms. Advise, right after the opening ceremony of the new school year, leaders of the Education and Training Department of Yen Dinh district received a report from the Yen Phu Primary School Management Board about a balloon explosion at the school, causing seven students to burn their hands.

According to the initial report of the Yen Phu Primary School Administration, after the opening ceremony, the teachers of Yen Phu Primary School released about 20 balloons.

While teachers were releasing balloons, some students and parents ran in to retrieve them. At this time, a parent smoked a cigarette, accidentally lit a fire from a cigarette into an explosive balloon. Then several balloons in the bunch exploded, causing burns to 7 students, most of them to their hands.

Many students suffered burns after the balloon explosion incident - Photo: Dan Tri newspaper

Immediately after the incident, the school administration, committee level, local authorities and leaders of the Education and Training Department of Yen Dinh district took 7 burned students to Yen Dinh General Hospital for emergency, care and treatment of burns, Nguyen Thi Advise added.

"This is an unfortunate accident that happened on the happy day of the start of the new school year," she said. According to information from the hospital, the students' health and psychology have temporarily stabilized, the level of burns is not too serious.

Earlier, according to information from Health and Life newspaper , a similar case occurred on February 1, 2023, Bac Giang Maternity and Children's Hospital said that the Hospital's Surgical Department had just received and treated a pediatric patient who suffered burns on his right hand caused by an exploding hydrogen balloon.

The family said that N.T.K. (4 years old, residing in Bac Giang City) was recently bought by his family for a hydrogen balloon, when he was holding the balloon to play when the balloon suddenly exploded. The explosion left the child with burns to his right hand.

Hydrogen gas compressed in the balloon will explode very strongly - Photo: Internet

After the accident, the family only gave him male medicine from a healer, not taking him to the hospital for examination and treatment. After a few days, the wound not only does not heal, but spreads more and more. At this time, the family immediately took baby K. to Bac Giang Maternity and Children's Hospital.

Dr. Pham Van Dai, Head of the Department of Surgery (Bac Giang Obstetrics and Children's Hospital) said that after receiving and examining, the doctor determined that the child N.T.K had 3rd degree burns, a wound on the back of his right hand, and a condition of tr.ù.ng. Doctors immediately cleaned the wound, performed artificial skin grafting techniques at the burn site for the pediatric patient.

Balloons often appear in opening ceremonies when decorative, colorful, creating a beautiful space. However, there are also places that require schools not to release opening balloons, like Da Nang.

According to doctors, hydrogen balloons are dangerous but many people are subjective when using them. Hydrogen gas has a very small molecular structure, easily penetrates extremely quickly through the balloon membrane, just contact with the bulb or encounter hot air or go out in the sun to be eligible to activate the reaction, the balloon can explode. The compressed hydrogen gas in the balloon will explode very strongly, causing facial burns, blindness, hand burns for the handler.

On the morning of September 5, about 23 million students from all levels across the country came to school to attend the opening ceremony of the new school year 2023-2024.

In Ho Chi Minh City HCMC, according to the direction of the opening ceremony of the school year 2023 - 2024, clearly assign the responsibilities of each member in charge, ensuring safety, playfulness, meaning, shortness, practicality, savings, in accordance with the actual situation of the school. The opening program should focus on making a mark and attractive for students, helping them have memorable experiences on the first day of the new school year.

Meanwhile in Hanoi City, the policy of organizing the opening ceremony does not last more than 60 minutes.

Thanh Hoa: Couple passed away after eating soup, doctor gave one recommendation Phượng Vũ17:16:19 15/03/2025After several days of treatment in the hospital, a couple in Thanh Hoa died of severe poisoning. Before that, they picked a type of mushroom in the forest and brought it home to cook soup and had a bout of vomiting.