5 die as hot-air balloon hits power line, crashes in flames, New Mexico officials say

Five people died Saturday after a hot-air balloon collided with a power line, sending the gondola crashing to the street below in flames, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, authorities say.

“The balloon just fell off, you guys,” onlooker Josh Perez says in a Facebook video after the crash. “Everybody’s running. The balloon just hit the electrical pole and blew up. Oh my God, this is sad.”

High winds may have blown the balloon off-course in the 7 a.m. crash, which will be investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, KOB reported.

“The balloon hit the top wires — the gondola of the balloon skirted along the top wire, caught on fire and crashed into the intersection,” Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, told CNN.

The balloon later came down in the backyard of a home about a mile from the crash, which cut power to about 13,000 customers. The gondola fell about 100 feet into the street. Perez’s video shows onlookers shouting for a fire extinguisher.

Four people, including the pilot, died in the crash, KOAT reported. A fifth died a short time later at the hospital.

Among the dead are a retired Albuquerque police officer and his wife, who were known by officers responding to the crash, KRQE reported. Some had to be sent home for the day.

“Our officers who arrived first on scene had a tough time when they saw what they saw,” Gallegos told the Albuquerque Journal. “These things are just horrible any time they happen.”

The five dead are pilot Nicholas Meleski, 62, John Montoya, 61, Susan Montoya, 65, Martin Martinez, 59, and Mary Martinez, 62, KOAT reported on Sunday.

A retired Albuquerque Police Department patrol officer, Martin Martinez worked for Albuquerque Public Schools as a police sergeant, The Albuquerque Journal reported.

“This is a terrible tragedy for our city and the ballooning community worldwide.” wrote Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller on Twitter.

This story was originally published June 27, 2021 at 11:33 AM with the headline "5 die as hot-air balloon hits power line, crashes in flames, New Mexico officials say."