Strong Wind Blows Away Hot Air Balloon in Khujand: Compatriot Injured

A festive event organized in Khujand, neighboring Tajikistan, to mark International Children's Day ended in an unexpected incident. On the evening of June 1, a sudden strong gust of wind near the Kamoli Khujandi Theater caused a massive hot air balloon, specially brought from Uzbekistan by the local Farovon company for the celebration, to break loose. Losing balance due to the powerful airflow, the balloon crashed onto the roofs of several nearby residential homes.

The city's Emergency Situations Committee department classified the incident not as a major natural disaster or emergency, but as an unforeseen accident.

A compatriot among the injured

According to official information from Khujand City Hospital No. 1, three people sustained injuries of varying severity as a result of this unfortunate incident. Two of the victims were immediately hospitalized:

• R.S. (46-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan): He was inside the basket as the balloon was ascending. After the anchor cable securing the balloon to the ground snapped under intense tension, he fell from a height and was injured.

• F.T. (40-year-old resident of Khujand): She was standing near the balloon as a spectator. A violently snapping iron chain struck and injured her. She is currently receiving treatment under medical supervision in the hospital's neurology department.

• Minor injuries: According to sources, the injured woman's daughter, approximately 10–11 years old, who was present at the scene, also sustained minor injuries.

Damage repaired, concert rescheduled

The collapse of the hot air balloon onto two households on Aminjon Rasulov Street in Khujand caused damage to their roofs. However, representatives of Farovon, the event organizer, took immediate action, fully compensating the homeowners for all material damages and restoring the roofs.

In an interview with the media, the company's project manager confirmed that the hot air balloon was indeed rented from Uzbekistan and that many renowned artists from neighboring countries had been invited for the festive program.

Due to unexpected adverse weather conditions, the grand festive concert originally scheduled for June 1 was postponed to June 2 for safety reasons.

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