5 injured when hot air balloon crashes into power lines
Witness records scary incident in Massachusetts
Five people were injured after a hot air balloon knocked into electrical wires, caught fire and landed in a residential area in eastern Massachusetts Saturday night.
The incident happened at around 7:40 p.m. local time in Clinton, approximately 45 miles west of Boston.
One witness told MyFoxBoston that before the balloon hit the power lines, people had gathered to watch, waving at the occupants inside and smiling. Then, the balloon tried to climb over the power lines, but hit the lines instead and caught fire.
"We saw sparks," one witness told the station. "We thought the worst."
The injured occupants suffered burns ranging from minor to severe, according to The Clinton Item. They were taken to Clinton Hospital to be treated.
The balloon landed in the yard of a home, where it could be seen sitting upright Saturday night.
Power outages were reported in the area surrounding the crash after the incident. National Grid reported that roughly 600 customers lost power in the area, though all had their power restored by Sunday morning.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash. There was no immediate word on the victims' conditions Sunday.
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