A 21-month-old child and his aunt were burned at a children's party in La Unión, Valle del Cauca, due to hydrogen-filled balloons exploding. Authorities announced inspections of stores to prevent similar incidents. The child was transferred to a hospital in Cali due to severe injuries.
During a children's party in La Unión municipality, Valle del Cauca, decorative balloons exploded upon touching the cake's candle, injuring a 21-month-old boy and his aunt who was holding him. The family believed the balloons contained helium, but they held hydrogen, a highly flammable gas that ignited instantly upon contact with fire, according to initial local authority reports from March 16, 2026 in Cali, updated that day at 21:24 local time. The child sustained second-degree burns to his face, lips, mucosa, left forearm, and other body areas. Initially treated at Hospital Gonzalo Contreras in La Unión, he was transferred to Hospital Universitario del Valle in Cali for specialized care in the Burns Unit. Doctor Cristina Colonia, coordinator of Hospital Services at the local facility, detailed the extent of the boy's injuries. The aunt also has burns on various body parts. In response, authorities issued an alert and announced operations to inspect stores selling such balloons, aiming to enhance oversight at social events, particularly children's parties, and mitigate risks from hazardous materials.
