Australian family stranded in Bali after restaurant fire

An Australian family is currently stranded in Bali after a celebration at the Gado-Gado restaurant resulted in a fire caused by exploding party balloons. Caitlin Speedy, who purchased the balloons for her mother’s 70th birthday, reported that the decorations suddenly ignited, causing diners to flee. Her 17-year-old son sustained burns during the blaze.

Following the incident, Indonesian police seized the family’s passports, preventing them from departing the island. While the family was initially brought in as witnesses, they claim they are being treated like criminals. After Kuta police briefly returned the documents, the passports were again seized at the airport when the family attempted to fly home, prompting the family to seek assistance from immigration authorities.