Six people reportedly suffered from burns after they were accidentally struck by fire during a mass ngaben (traditional Balinese cremation ritual) ceremony in Bali’s Klungkung regency yesterday.
According to reports from local media, the incident occurred just as participants were preparing to light the corpses of the deceased. At one point, a hose used to channel fuel for the fire fell from its original position and was set alight by nearby burning incense, causing a fire that struck those around it.
“There was a crowd there because they were just about to do the cremation. The hose caught on fire so quickly, it became uncontrollable and struck people around it. Those who were injured badly were immediately brought to local hospitals,” Ketut Merta, one of the ngaben participants, told Tribun-Bali.
Ni Luh Wirati from Banjarangkan Police confirmed that a total of six people were injured in the fire, and said that the incident occurred at around 11am on Sunday. Three of them are being treated at Klungkung General Hospital, one of whom suffered from third-degree burns that affected almost 70 percent of their body.
Some of them will reportedly be transferred to Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar, which is equipped with better facilities for those requiring more intensive treatment.
Related stories:
Fire destroys popular Bali boutique and upper-floor apartment in central Seminyak
