Mysuru: The tragic death of a balloon vendor, Salim, due to a helium gas cylinder explosion near the Mysore Palace has now been attributed to a critical lapse in safety measures.
According to preliminary investigations, Salim had been continuously filling balloons with helium gas when he repeatedly turned the gas cylinder on and off, causing internal heat buildup and increased pressure inside the cylinder.
This eventually led to the explosion, as confirmed by Mysore police sources. Salim, originally from Uttar Pradesh, had arrived in Mysore a week ago to sell balloons for business.
For several days, he had been selling balloons around the Mysore Palace area, particularly near the exhibition grounds, riding a cycle with the helium gas cylinder. The explosion occurred around 8:30 PM near the Jayamarthanda Gate, shortly after he finished selling balloons near the Varaha Gate.
At the time, a crowd was gathered to buy balloons, and Salim had been filling balloons non-stop. The police report suggests that the rapid on-and-off operation of the cylinder created a dangerous internal temperature rise, causing the pressure inside to spike and triggering the fatal explosion.
Salim died instantly, while four others standing nearby sustained serious injuries. Two of the injured are reported to be in critical condition, and they have been admitted to JSS and KR Hospitals in Mysore.
A close call for a bigger disaster
It is being reported that the explosion occurred near Jayamarthanda Gate, which likely prevented a larger tragedy. The Varaha Gate area, where the explosion could have happened, usually has a larger crowd, and had it occurred there, the casualties could have been much higher.
Mysore police have filed an FIR, and forensic teams have visited the site to conduct a thorough investigation. Authorities are also probing whether safety protocols for cylinders were violated and whether Salim had the necessary licenses for his business.
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