Hot air balloon crashes into power lines over highway, sparking brush fire: video
Dramatic video shows a hot air balloon suddenly crashing into a power line while trying to land in Minnesota Wednesday night — with all three onboard miraculously escaping with nothing more than “very minor” injuries.
The horror unfolded as the balloon was trying to touch down in a field next to Highway 63 in Rochester, south-east of Minneapolis, just before 7 p.m., local police said.
Video of the ordeal shows the vessel inching closer to the highway before a gust of wind forces it into the power lines — causing an electrical explosion.
The basket disconnected from the balloon and plummeted roughly 20-30 feet to the ground, cops said.
Despite the harrowing footage, those on board walked away remarkably unscathed with only two occupants sustaining “very minor injuries,” police said.
The top of the balloon could be seen drifting away and was later recovered several miles away.
Meanwhile, a small fire broke out next to the basket in the wake of the crash landing, which was quickly extinguished by fire crews.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating the incident.
