A hot air balloon incident in Rochester, Minnesota, led to minor injuries and a small brush fire after the balloon collided with a power line. The event, which occurred as the balloon attempted to land in a field next to Highway 63, was influenced by strong winds, guiding the balloon into a hazardous encounter with the power infrastructure. Captured by a Minnesota Department of Transportation traffic camera, the footage revealed the moment the balloon’s basket made contact with the power line, generating sparks and subsequently detaching and falling to the ground. The balloon itself continued to ascend and drifted away from the scene.

The pilot and two passengers on board the balloon managed to escape the basket with only minor injuries. The sparked contact with the power line led to a brush fire, which was quickly extinguished by responding firefighters. The runaway balloon was later found approximately 2 miles from the site of the collision.

Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have initiated investigations to ascertain the specific circumstances leading to the collision. The incident has drawn attention to the safety measures and challenges associated with hot air balloon flights, particularly in adverse weather conditions.