Four people are dead and one is in critical condition after a hot air balloon fell into a power line in Albuquerque on Saturday morning.
The hot air balloon with five people on board hit a power line about ten kilometers west of Albuquerque International Sunport Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the crash. The balloon basket caught fire after crashing into the median of a busy road.
The crash caused power outages in the area, According to a tweet from the Albuquerque Police Department. Police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the multi-colored balloon fringed the tips of power lines and supplied more than 13,000 households with electricity.
One person was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, New Mexico State Police spokesman Dusty Francisco, USA TODAY said. Traffic in the area was blocked after the accident, According to a tweet from the police.
Francisco said the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate the cause of the crash while the New Mexico State Police will assist.
Albuquerque is a hot air ballooning center in the United States and is home to a nine-day October event that draws hundreds of thousands. Accidents are rare, but they can happen, said Gallegos.
“Our balloonists are usually very expert at navigating, but sometimes we have these kinds of tragic accidents,” he said.
Contribution: The Associated Press
Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.
