Chinese man badly burned after bursting hydrogen balloon with cigarette

A Chinese man was badly injured after the cigarette he was smoking accidentally burst a hydrogen balloon.

Sixty-year old Wang Heping was walking in Yueyang in Hunan province on Wednesday when he saw a large hydrogen balloon slowly deflating, the Hunan Economic TV channel reported.

Wang was unaware his cigarette touched the surface of the balloon and it exploded.

Twelve per cent of his body was burned in the blast.

Wang’s doctor was quoted as saying the major burns were on the back of Wang’s head, his face and arms.