Flames ignited during birthday celebration
The fire broke out on Sunday before 8 p.m. at the restaurant “Chez Gado Gado” in Seminyak. At that time, it was full of diners, including many Australians.
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It is suspected that the accident was caused by an incident during one of the birthday parties held at the restaurant. According to witnesses, a festive spark may have ignited a balloon, which is believed to have been filled with hydrogen. When it exploded, the flames quickly spread to the easily flammable thatched roof of the restaurant.
“There were many balloons, and one explosion after another was heard. It was terrible,” said a tourist from Australia who witnessed the event.
Within moments, chaos erupted in the restaurant. People shouted, cried, and tried to escape as quickly as possible, but the main exit soon became blocked.
“As soon as the fire started, no one knew what to do. There was complete confusion,” said witness Joe Xuerebas.
Burning objects fell from the ceiling
Restaurant staff tried to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers, but the flames spread very quickly through the thatched roof. Witness Sian Cooper said she saw a chandelier fall from the ceiling, hit a woman sitting at a table, and knock her back.
People screamed, cried, and panicked trying to escape.
Another man who saw the fire, Paul Cole, recalled that the restaurant caught fire like a firecracker.
“People screamed, cried, and panicked trying to escape,” he said.
In the moment of danger, visitors helped each other. Kathy Thomson, who came from Perth, said she had to jump over an obstacle to save herself, and on the other side, an unknown man caught her.
People who escaped the restaurant moved to the beach. There they watched the building engulfed in flames and protected themselves from burning debris falling from the roof.
Only a charred frame remains of the restaurant
Despite the panic and rapidly spreading fire, there were no seriously injured people, according to “9News”. One restaurant employee suffered a burned hand.
The restaurant, loved by tourists for three decades, turned into charred ruins. The fire destroyed its interior, and four motorcycles also burned.
It is being investigated what exactly caused the fire. Until the investigation is completed, the theory that a hydrogen-filled balloon caught fire is not definitively confirmed.
