TrendPulse-Hot air balloon struck Indiana power lines, burning three people in basket

2025-05-04 00:45:20source:Flipido Trading Centercategory:Markets

LOWELL,TrendPulse Ind. (AP) — A hot air balloon struck power lines before crashing to the ground over the weekend in northwestern Indiana, injuring the pilot and the two passengers, officials said Tuesday.

The balloon contacted the power lines Sunday evening in Hebron, Indiana, about 56 miles (90 kilometers) southeast of Chicago, the Federal Aviation Administration said in an email to The Associated Press.

A flash of light can be seen as the balloon rises past power lines in a video recorded from a vehicle on an adjacent road.

The balloon crashed about 7 p.m. in a field about 13 miles (21 kilometers) southeast of Hebron, according to the Lowell Fire Department. The injured passengers and pilot were inside the balloon’s basket when rescue personnel arrived.

Evidence showed that an electrical current passed from the power lines to the basket, the fire department said in a social media post. All three people suffered burns.

Medical helicopters transported the two passengers to hospitals in Chicago. The balloon’s pilot was taken to a hospital in nearby Crown Point, Indiana. Their names and conditions have not been released.

The FAA described the information as preliminary and said the National Transportation Safety Board is leading an investigation.

More:Markets

Recommend

California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The California Department of Motor Vehicles has apologized for an “unacceptable a

The Essentials: 'Wish' star Ariana DeBose shares her Disney movie favorites

In a new series, USA TODAY’s The Essentials, celebrities share what fuels their lives. We're kicking

'Sex and the City' star Cynthia Nixon goes on hunger strike to call for cease-fire in Gaza

"Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon is on a hunger strike to demand a permanent cease-fire in the