A birthday celebration in Bukhara nearly turned into a tragedy after cake sparklers ignited hydrogen-filled balloons, creating a sudden fireball just inches from the guest of honor’s face. The frightening incident involved Nozza Usmanova, who was waiting by the entrance of a shop when friends and relatives surprised her with balloons and a birthday cake.
CCTV footage shows the excited celebrant standing near the doorway moments before the decorations suddenly caught fire. Seconds after greeting her family, a woman handed Nozza a cake topped with cold-fire candles. Nozza quickly blew out the flames, but the hot tips of the sparklers remained. When one of them touched the hydrogen-filled balloons nearby, the gas ignited instantly, triggering a powerful blast.
