A beachside celebration in Bali turned disastrous when a balloon reportedly exploded inside a popular restaurant. This incident ignited a fierce blaze.
Videos showed flames engulfing the Chez Gado-Gado restaurant in the Seminyak area on Sunday. An Australian teenager sustained burns and was sent to the hospital, according to 7News.
“There was a 70th birthday, and they had two balloons on their table. A waitress went to light the candle on the birthday cake, but she lit it too close to the balloon,” Tara Borelli, a witness from Sydney, shared with News.com.au. “It popped, then exploded. We felt the heat from the pop.”
She added, “I just grabbed my daughter and little cousin and ran straight onto the beach towards the water.” The restaurant’s straw roof quickly caught fire, and within minutes, the entire establishment was ablaze.
Paul Cole, another eyewitness, conveyed to 9News the sudden chaos, saying, “It lit up like a firecracker… people were screaming and crying and running around.”
The Badung Fire and Rescue Service stated that extinguishing the flames took over two hours, but there were reportedly no fatalities, according to The Bali Sun.
Denpasar Police First Inspector I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya reported Monday, based on witness accounts, that the fire “strongly suspected” started when a balloon was ignited by a candle flame, leading to its explosion and subsequent fire.
The restaurant staff’s initial attempts using fire extinguishers proved unsuccessful due to the rapid spread of the fire to the thatched roof, he noted.
One witness described hearing multiple balloon explosions, calling it a “terrible” experience. Joe Xuereb, another bystander, described the scene as “bedlam,” expressing that people didn’t know what to do once the fire erupted.
Witnesses at the Bali restaurant reported confusion and disorder after the fire broke out on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026.
The Chez Gado-Gado restaurant is now “temporarily closed,” as stated on its website.