Hot air balloon crashes into power lines, 5 hurt

CLINTON, Mass. (AP) — A hot air balloon crashed into power lines in a Massachusetts neighborhood, injuring five people on board.

The Federal Aviation Administration tells Boston’s WBZ-TV that the balloon was attempting to land in the residential area in Clinton, Massachusetts when it hit the power lines around 7:40 p.m. Saturday. Five people on board were burned.

Witnesses tell the TV station there was a huge explosion when the balloon hit the power lines. One witness, Bob King, tells the station he was surprised the balloon riders survived. He says he thought “they were gone.”

The FAA says it will investigate the crash.

Most recently, a University of Richmond women’s basketball assistant coach and team staff member were the passengers aboard a hot air balloon that drifted into a power line, burst into flames and crashed in Virginia in May 2014.

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