A hot air balloon crashed in an Albuquerque, New Mexico, neighborhood on Saturday, killing five people after apparently being blown into power lines by the wind and catching fire, police said.
The pilot and three passengers were pronounced DEAD at the scene, police said. The fourth passenger was transported to an Albuquerque hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
How it occured?
Firstly the balloon separated from the basket after it crashed and landed elsewhere, police said.
The ages of the victims are between 40 and 60 years old, police said, but no names were released immediately.
However No one on the ground was injured.
In conclusion the basket crashed on a street corner in the city’s West Side neighborhood near a pharmacy. It is about six miles (10 km) west, further of the Albuquerque International Sunport Airport, according to a report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Local Police over New Mexico hot air balloon crash !
Albuquerque police also said the gondola of a balloon detached from the envelope and hit a power line around 7 a.m. Saturday.
Moreover, the gondola crashed, falling 100 feet with five people inside by the CVS Pharmacy near Central Avenue and Unser Boulevard. The envelope was found in the backyard of a home about a mile south of the crash site.
Witnesses said when the gondola crashed it was on fire and several bystanders tried to help put that fire out.
One viewer video shows people yelling for a fire extinguisher and then a man running over to extinguish the blaze. Investigators say it is not yet clear what events led up to the crash.
Crash Victims identified!
- APD released the names of two out of the five victims in a news conference on Saturday.
- Firstly Martin Martinez, 59, a former APD and APS officer
- Secondly his wife Mary Martinez, 62, were among those killed.
We do not know the names of the other three killed but police did say they were all between the ages of 40 and 60.
Because the crash involved a major transmission line power was out for thousands of customers in the area.
But just after 11 a.m. PNM said power had been fully restored.
Also know: Southwest Airlines flight leaves four people hospitalised due to TURBULENCE.
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Also DID YOU KNOW?
Indian Air Force and ISRO are developing a Real Time Aircraft Tracking System.
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