Watch: Blaze in the sky after Brazil hot air balloon crash, 8 people killed, 13 injured, Police says…
New Delhi: In an unfortunate incident, a hot-air balloon caught fire and fell down from the sky in Brazil’s Santa Catarina state. According to the reports, eight people died in the incident. In the video that has now gone viral on social media, a huge billow of smoke can be seen coming from the balloon as it tumbled towards the ground in Praia Grande.
After the crash, 13 people who survived were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina’s military fire brigade said. Twenty-one people were on board, including the pilot. The accident took place at around 8 AM local time, Lt. Col. Zevir Cipriano Jr., a military firefighter, said.
Praia Grande police chief Tiago Luiz Lemos told the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper: “According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, a fire started inside the basket and then he began to lower the balloon. When the balloon was very close to the ground, he ordered people to jump out of the basket. Some of them didn’t manage to jump. The fire increased and the balloon ended up falling.”
Watch Video:
What caused the crash?
Talking to Globo News, Ulisses Gabriel, chief of police in Santa Catarina, said that weather conditions played a role in the crash. “Several people had to hold the balloon down during launch due to its instability,” he said.
The balloon reportedly swayed violently from side to side after the winds blew. Gabriel added that the instability was likely caused by a gas leak. “Despite it being flame-retardant, there was an intense fire,” he said.
Authorities are investigating additional factors, including adverse weather conditions and human error.
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