Five injured in hot air balloon fire in northern Vietnam

At around 7 p.m. Saturday a Japanese pilot was hurt when examining a balloon at Nguyen Tat Thanh Square as part of a festival.

During the process of filling the balloon, a fire started break out on the balloon's envelope and basket, injuring the pilot and four Vietnamese nearby, said Nguyen Van Hoa, Tuyen Quang deputy director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The victims, who suffered from minor burns, were taken to a nearby hospital for examination and later discharged, he added.

The incident took place on the second day of Tuyen Quang’s second Hot Air Balloon Festival, which attracted 20 balloons from many countries including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and India.

The festival includes both hot air balloon performances and flights.