close
close

During the festival, a hot air balloon hits the radio tower in Albuquerque and collapses

During the festival, a hot air balloon hits the radio tower in Albuquerque and collapses

A hot air balloon crashed into a radio tower and collapsed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Friday during the city's famous festival – the second time in 20 years that a balloon has come into contact with the tower.

There were no reports of injuries, said Kevin Carhart, a spokesman for the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. The balloon, which had three people on it, landed safely in a field after hitting the tower.

The tower broadcasts radio signals for KKOB-AM.

Aerostar International Inc.'s S-57A balloon took off from a park as part of the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, said the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating.

It was not clear how tall the tower was. News footage of the aftermath showed no other structures in the path of the collapsed tower.

In 2004, during the festival, a balloon shaped like Smokey Bear's face was wrapped around a radio tower, requiring the pilot and two passengers to climb down most of the building. A spokesman for the festival confirmed to The Associated Press that it was the same tower that a balloon hit on Friday.

On the third day of the festival earlier this week, a balloon crashed into a power line in Albuquerque, leaving nearly 13,000 customers without power for nearly an hour.

One of the most photographed events in the world, the festival attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators to New Mexico each fall to marvel at more than 100 balloons in bright colors and distinctive shapes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *