Kuala Muda district police chief Hanyan Ramlan said police were still working to identify the cause of the incident and the owner of the helium gas cylinder.

He said the site would be temporarily closed to facilitate the investigations.

“We are conducting investigations at the scene, so we ask all traders to temporarily cease operations. Once completed, we will hand the site back to the organiser to continue the event,” he said in a press conference here last night.

Hanyan said the explosion flung debris as far as 100m, striking several victims.

“Some of the fragments were hurled up to 100m from the cylinder and struck a man who was operating a business nearby.

“The victim sustained severe injuries to his right arm and the right side of his chest and was pronounced dead at the scene,” he said.

The case is being investigated as sudden death under Section 304A of the Penal Code.

It was reported that a man was killed while three others were injured in the explosion.

The deceased was identified as Azmi Ahmad, 42. The identities of the injured have yet to be confirmed.

However, Sungai Petani fire and rescue station chief and operations commander Siti Norafiza Noh said the injured victims included a 15-year-old boy and two men aged 36 and 49.