Four people are dead and one injured after a hot-air balloon crashes in New Mexico
Four people have died and one person is in critical condition following a hot-air balloon crash in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday.
The balloon crashed into a power line around Central Ave. and Unser Blvd., causing power to go out in the area, Albuquerque Police Department (APD) confirmed on Twitter.
The injured person has been hospitalized and remains in unstable condition, according to police.
“They’re in pretty bad shape. Doctors at the hospital are working to save that individual,” APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said, the Albuquerque Journal reported. “It’s just a very tragic situation. Our officers who arrived first on scene had a tough time when they saw what they saw. These things are just horrible anytime they happen.”
Powering New Mexico (PNM), which bills itself as the city’s first electric and gas operations company, “is on the scene as power is still out in the area,” police said.
More than 13,000 people in the area are experiencing power outages as a result of the incident, PNM tweeted, advising people to stay away from the area. Traffic has also been shut down in the area, according to New Mexico State Police.
“Everyone at PNM is deeply saddened by these tragic losses,” PNM said. “We’re thinking about the family & friends affected by today’s event. We’ll continue to do everything we can to support 1st responders in this evolving situation.”
Albuquerque Fire and the New Mexico State Police are on the scene, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate what caused the hot-air balloon to crash, according to police.
