An Arizona hot air balloon decided to go rogue, causing a whirlwind of chaos, injuries, and property damage thanks to an unexpected gust.
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On Saturday, July 6, at 11:48 a.m. local time, a hot air balloon crashed in northern Arizona. According to the Williams Police Department, the incident resulted in injuries to three people, including an 8-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy.
“The Williams Police Department responded to a hot air balloon crash at Ramada Inn Hotel,” the department said in a press release. “The incident occurred during the setup of the balloon’s operations.”
“The Pilot, identified as Dwayne Osborne, reported that initial wind speeds were around 7-8 miles per hour, but a sudden thermal gust of air escalated winds to 40-50 miles per hour, leading to the balloon detaching from its anchor point and colliding with nearby structures and vehicles,” the release added.
Although there were no passengers in the hot air balloon when strong winds swept it away, three individuals were injured in the crash. They were transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment, according to the Williams Police Department.
Footage from the hot air balloon accident found its way to X (formerly Twitter).
An 8-year-old girl suffered a broken thumb and rope burns. Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy had back and neck injuries, and an adult woman sustained abrasions.
The speeding hot air balloon also caused severe damage to vehicles, property, and a light pole at the Ramada Inn, affecting both pedestrians and nearby areas.
An Eyewitness Recounts the Rogue Hot Air Balloon Accident
Meanwhile, eyewitness Erin Orozco-Whitaker mentioned she participated as a vendor at an event aimed at raising funds for Habitat for Humanity. She added that the hot air balloon was a featured attraction at the event.
“I could not believe my eyes,” she told AZ Family. “It was an unbelievable sight to see. This huge, massive balloon just scraped across the floor with a basket dragging, a really heavy basket. It was very frightening.”
She also said that her booth was approximately 200 feet away from the balloon being inflated. Erin then suddenly felt a powerful gust of wind.
“The balloon just kind of lost control through this field. The basket was being pulled by the hot air balloon,” she recalled.
Orozco-Whitaker recounted witnessing a group of Young Marines attempting to secure the balloon’s ropes before it was swept away.
“The other woman that got hit, the hot air balloon—the basket, hit their vehicle. It was a suburban and the tailgate was up. The woman was sitting under the tailgate and it fell down on her. And I see cuts and bleeding, and I ran over to her. She said she was okay and needed 911,” Orozco-Whitaker explained.
The Williams Police Department secured the area and collected evidence of the collision, informing the FAA, which will investigate further.