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Two Killed in Hot Air Balloon Crash

AP
Posted: 2007-08-25 19:39:03
SURREY, British Columbia (Aug. 25) - A hot air balloon burst into flames over western Canada, burning two passengers to death while their families looked on, police said Saturday. Other passengers leaped to the ground, some with their clothes in flames, witnesses said.

Eleven people were seriously injured when the balloon crashed Friday evening in a recreational vehicle park in Surrey, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver. There were 12 passengers and a pilot on board, police and witnesses said.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Roger Morrow said relatives of the two passengers killed witnessed the fire. He declined to comment on reports that the dead were a mother and her grown daughter.

"It's just tragic. They watched it unfold before their eyes," Morrow said of the families. "The fatalities suffered from burns."

The balloon caught fire as it prepared to launch, said Bill Yearwood, an investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

"The crew loaded 12 passengers and was preparing to launch when a fire erupted. The pilot asked the passengers to get out of the basket," he said. "The balloon was tethered at the time, but then broke and came loose," he added.

"They were all trying to get out."

After most of the passengers escaped, the balloon exploded in a fireball and shot up into the air. Shortly after, the burning balloon plunged to ground in the RV park, leaving a tail of thick black smoke in its wake.

"I can't tell you what exactly happened when the balloon was loosened from the tether," Yearwood said. "We will be talking to attending crew members and the pilot to find out."

He said the pilot was in stable condition.

"The thing went up about 400 feet in the air at which point it melted enough of the balloon - it collapsed," said Don Randall, a resident of the trailer park who took pictures of the scene. "The basket was basically a fireball. It just dropped like a stone," he added.

"I'm just thinking, 'Oh geez, I hope there's nobody in that thing. It's basically a burning death up there,"' he said.

Smoke could be seen billowing from the crash site from miles away.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known. Weather conditions were clear at the time of the sunset flight.

"People were screaming and trying to get out," Frank Hersey said Friday night near a grassy field where several of the injured were being attended to by ambulance crews.

Perry Kendall said he saw what looked like something out of a movie.

"It was horrifying," said a shaken Kendall. "Just looking at people screaming and jumping out of there. Some of them, I think, had fire on their clothes. It was just awful."

Witnesses also said propane tanks from the balloon shot off and landed on the Hazelmere RV park below, setting fire to three trailers and several vehicles. No one was reported hurt in those blazes.

"We're exceptionally lucky that nobody in any of these three trailers or in the vehicles that were destroyed were caught in them," Morrow said.

The hot-air balloon, which CTV reported was operated by Fantasy Balloons Charters based in Langley, British Columbia, was one of several balloons in flight at the time.

Company spokesman John K. George said he does not know why the balloon caught fire shortly after takeoff.

"The company deeply regrets this evening's incident and all injuries associated with it (and) inconvenience to those people being displaced," George said.

A similar incident occurred earlier this month in the central Canadian province of Manitoba, Manitoba, where 12 people were injured.

Associated Press writers Rob Gillies and Charmaine Noronha in Toronto contributed to this report.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-08-25 06:21:38
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2965 comments

SpeedThro 11:27:16 AM Aug 30 2007

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I own and fly a hot air balloon here in the united stated. My guess as to what happened is this: from what I have been told is that in other countries balloons are not required to undergo annual or 100 hour inspections.. also it is a rule to take out the tanks and refuel (you are not allowed to fill tanks inside the basket which is consiered a closed container). Because of this alot of systems have what they call a quick connect attatchment instead of threaded fittings. I think one was not properly connected and was accentally disconnected by a passanger. Those hoses are under alot of pressure. 90 to 140 pounds usually. It came loose eomehow and whipped around. Then the pilot light ignited it and then fire..Or the hoses were too old and bursted under pressure. They are required to be replaced every 10 years. Mine are 7 years old, but I think I will have them replaced when my next annual is due.. This whole thing makes me want to be even more safety concious.

edmogor 09:39:55 AM Aug 30 2007

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Such a horrible accident , the promoters or owner of the hot air balloon need to do all the research he/they can to determine what went wrong. I never have rode in a hot air balloon, but would like to. It seems everyone that has rode in one, remembers it for life. My sympathy goes out to the families on the ground who witnessed the event. What a way to end what was expected to be a fun filled day. Very sad.

insanityof2 09:01:30 AM Aug 30 2007

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Balloon ride is enjoyable but not safe by any means.Therefore I hope research to be done in developing Hot air balloon in such a way that can fly without a propane gas or any fire.

Hey - how about Hydrogen, Dr. Hindenburg?

cousins4hayes 12:25:03 PM Aug 29 2007

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how tragic and sad. I love to see those balloons but there is no way i would ever get in one! (scared of heights not of the unforseen)

ladymistydawn 07:47:09 AM Aug 29 2007

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I am sorry for your loss. my heart and condolenses goes out to your/the family . What a tragic situation were faced with.

persiandutch 05:58:08 PM Aug 28 2007

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No. 3000

ninnynoot 04:37:25 PM Aug 28 2007

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TODRGSKTK9370 I HOPE U R NOT OF VOTING AGE,CAUSE U SURE DON'T NO WHAT U R TALKING ABOUT. IF U R OF VOTING AGE I BET U VOTED FOR THAT IDIOT BUSH.NO MATTER WHO U DONT LIKE THAT WAS A VERY CRUEL REMARK TO MAKE ABOUT ANYBODY.

SKYDEVIL14 03:18:05 PM Aug 28 2007

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acropmarbl,

I find your comment amusing. You would not go up in a hot air balloon because it is dangers and run on fire. Then you say that it is God's Will that they die at that point.

That comment implies that Hot Air Balloons are not dangerous, but that God caused that circumstances that took there lives and that he can call on you at anytime.

So, does it really matter what you are doing at the time you are call? Burned to death doing a balloon ride or in a car crash?

grfar5 02:45:30 PM Aug 28 2007

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Balloon ride is enjoyable but not safe by any means.Therefore I hope research to be done in developing Hot air balloon in such a way that can fly without a propane gas or any fire.

grfar5 02:45:26 PM Aug 28 2007

Report This!

Balloon ride is enjoyable but not safe by any means.Therefore I hope research to be done in developing Hot air balloon in such a way that can fly without a propane gas or any fire.

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