Three people are currently recovering after being severely injured after a hot air balloon hit power lines, caught on fire, and crashed to the ground in Indiana over the weekend.
In a statement, the Lowell Fire Department reported that the situation occurred on Sunday, June 2, at approximately 6:47 p.m. local time. The department was dispatched to the area of 18100 Oklahoma Street in an unincorporated area east of the town of Lowell.
Officials stated that the hot air balloon had made an emergency landing after coming in contact with power lines. It was found in the 19000 block of Mississippi Street in an area that was south of State Road 2.
The aircraft landed in a field. Its envelope and basket were still attached to each other. The three people were found inside the basket. “There was evidence on the passenger basket that electrical current passed from the power lines to the basket and injured the three people in the basket.”
The department reported due to the severe extent of the burn injuries, two medical helicopters were called to the scene. One of the people was transported to the University of Chicago while another went to Loyola Hospital. Both were transported by the helicopters.
Meanwhile, the hot air balloon pilot was transported by ground ambulance to Franciscan Hospital in Crown Point.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s Response Operations Center was contacted for an investigation. The crash site was secured. An investigation officer from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also started to assess the situation.
Among the departments that assisted the Lowell Fire Department in the situation were the Lake County 9-1-1 Dispatch Center, Crowd Point Fire Rescue, Lake Dalecarlia Fire Department, Cedar Lake Fire Department, And Tri-Creek Ambulance Service.
Witnesses Recall Watching the Hot Air Balloon Collide With Power Lines Before Crash
While speaking to ABC News, witness Debbie Wajovoda recalled watching the hot air balloon collide with power lines.
“It was starting to deflate a little bit and that’s when it was coming down,” Wajvoda explained. “And then it hit the power lines and pitched and then blew back up and then just kept rising and floating away.”
Lowell Volunteer Fire Department Chief, Chris Gambin, also revealed there was “electrical arching and a high degree” of energy. This then transmitted from the power lines through to the balloon in the collision.
Gambin then said there was a concern about the balloon getting on the interstate before the crash. However, the pilot prevented that from happening. “The pilot was about to extinguish an onboard fire on the basket,” Gambin continued. “[He did this] while maintaining control of the balloon.”