New Mexico: Hot air balloon crash leaves 5 dead; accident caused power outages

Five people have died after a hot-air balloon crashed to a power line in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The accident happened in the wee hours of Saturday after the Cameron 0-120 hot air balloon collided with a power line around Central Avenue and Unser Boulevard, causing a blackout in the area. In the aftermath, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have initiated a joint investigation into the tragic crash.

"Liz and I are heartbroken by the ballooning accident this morning," Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller tweeted. "This is a terrible tragedy for our city and the ballooning community worldwide."

Fifth victim succumbed at the hospital

According to Albuquerque Police Department (APD), when the police and the fire department reached the accident spot, they found four deceased people. A fifth was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries at the hospital where he was being treated. Amongst those who lost their lives were three men and two women, APD confirmed in a statement.

Electricity restored

The incident led to a massive power cut in the area, affecting nearly 13,777 people, according to utility company PNM which is the largest power supplier in New Mexico. At present, all household power has been restored, NBC News reported. “Power has been fully restored to all customers that were affected by the power outage following the tragedy of this morning’s hot air balloon incident. Our hearts are deeply saddened about the loss of lives today, PNM tweeted.

Meanwhile, several pictures and video clips of the incident have been shared online by local residents of Albuquerque. One user posted a video clip of the deflated balloon falling from the sky “with no basket.”

Speaking to CNN, the police said that the gondola of the hot air balloon hit the top wire and it caught fire. The balloon then crashed into the intersection. At a news conference, the Mayor named two victims of the accident as Retired APD officer Martin Martinez, 59, and his wife Mary Martinez, 62. The police have refrained from naming the other three fatalities till their families are not informed.

Image: AP