XDY Exchange|A hot air balloon crashed into a power line and caused a fire, but everyone is OK

2025-05-05 16:52:16source:TradeEdge Exchangecategory:Finance

ROCHESTER,XDY Exchange Minn. (AP) — Three people in a hot air balloon in Minnesota escaped largely unscathed after their basket clipped a power line, fell to the ground and caused a brush fire.

A Minnesota Department of Transportation traffic camera captured the accident on video. It happened around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday in Rochester. Police said preliminary information indicates the pilot was trying to land in a field when a gust of wind pushed the balloon into a power line that runs along Highway 63.

The video shows the basket and balloon become disconnected as sparks fly from the power line. The basket appears to hang briefly on the line before falling about 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) to the ground. Meanwhile, the balloon lifts higher into the sky and drifts away.

The pilot and two other passengers were able to get out, even as the sparks caused a brush fire to break out. Police said in a news release that two people reported “very minor injuries.” Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze.

The balloon was found later, about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away, police said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

More:Finance

Recommend

Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week

Friday the 13thdidn’t spook investors with U.S. stocks little changed on the day as investors bided

32 things we learned in NFL Week 1: Top players, teams make opening statements

The 32 things we learned from Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season:1. The 2024 campaign was always going to

Olympian Abbey Weitzeil Answers Swimming Beauty Questions You’ve Wondered About & Shares $6 Must-Haves

We interviewed Abbey Weitzel because we think you'll like her picks. Abbey is a paid spokesperson fo