Three people were seriously injured when their hot air balloon struck power lines and caught fire before crashing in an Indiana field, authorities said.
The incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. local time on Sunday in Hebron, northwest Indiana, according to preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Lindstrand hot air balloon “crashed after striking power lines,” the FAA said in a statement.
First responders with the Lowell Fire Department located the plane in a field with the basket still attached to the balloon’s envelope and three people inside, firefighters said.
“There was evidence on the passenger basket that electrical current was passing from the power lines to the basket and injuring the three people inside the basket,” the fire department said in a news release.
First responders requested two medical helicopters “due to the severity of the burns,” the department said.
Close-up of a fire truck in service.
STOCK PHOTO/Adobe Stock
Two patients were airlifted to Chicago-area hospitals, while the pilot was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, authorities said.
The balloon is registered to Region Ballooning, based in Crown Point, Indiana, according to FAA records. ABC News has contacted the company for comment.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating.
Hebron is located south of Lake Michigan near the Illinois-Indiana border, approximately 55 miles (90 km) southeast of Chicago.
ABC News
