ALOR SETAR, April 9 — Police arrested two men for lighting up fireworks openly in a public place after the display spiralled out of control and sent visitors fleeing at Dataran Zero near the Sungai Petani bazaar at midnight yesterday.

Kuala Muda police chief ACP Zaidy Che Hassan said they received a report regarding the hazardous explosion of firecrackers and fireworks at the bazaar from a senior police officer who is attached to the Sungai Petani police station, at about midnight.

"The officer had received information about the incident from Whatsapp in the form of a 43-second video showing the alarming eruption of fireworks at the location.

"Investigations revealed that the incident was an unscripted chain reaction by the burning of a unit of ‘Happy Bomb’ type of firecrackers where during the explosion, fireworks toppled and strayed towards another cache of fireworks which was then ignited in large quantities,” he said here today.

Zaidy said the sky-high eruption was quite worrying as it was too close for comfort, but personnel of the Sungai Petani fire and rescue station (BBP) confirmed that there was however, no fire nor injuries caused to by-standers around the bazaar.

"Following the incident, police arrested the two perpetrators, a 27-year-old man in possession of the fireworks and a 24-year-old who lit the fireworks display, for further action. The case is being investigated under Section 7(a) of the Explosives Act 1957,” he said.

In Kota Baru, 17 cases were recorded in Kelantan since March 19 until yesterday, where people suffered injuries from playing with firecrackers and fireworks.

Kelantan State Health Department (JKNK) director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said two of the casualties were women, adding that a total of 12 cases were treated at Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital, three cases treated at Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital, Kuala Krai and two cases at the Pasir Mas Hospital.

"All the victims were aged between four and 40 years old, but most players were in the young age-group of seven-to-16 and nine-to-12 years old.

"Four of the injured were admitted to the ward while the rest received outpatient treatment,” he said today.

He said among the injuries inflicted on celebrants playing with fireworks were burns on the hands, face and eyes. — Bernama