Video: Two rescued after hot air balloon crashes into 920-foot cell tower in Texas
Visuals from the scene show the balloon caught on the tower, pinning the basket and its passengers at a dangerous height.
Two rescued after hot air balloon crashes into 925-foot Texas cell tower
HIGH STAKES RESCUE 🚨: A hot air balloon carrying two passengers struck an approximate 920-foot cell tower in Longview, Texas, on Saturday. The local fire department called it a
LONGVIEW, TX - Two passengers are safe after a harrowing incident in which a hot air balloon struck a 920-foot cell tower in Longview, Texas, on Saturday, prompting a highly technical and time-consuming rescue operation.
SEE IT: HOT AIR BALLOON DRIFTS INTO TREE DURING BUMPY LANDING IN MEXICO
A hot air balloon carrying two passengers struck an approximate 925-foot cell tower in Longview, Texas, on Feb. 28.
According to the Longview Fire Department, around 8:15 a.m. Saturday morning, emergency teams from the city’s fire and rescue and several other agencies were called to the scene in north Gregg County for a specialized high-angle rescue near the intersection of FM 1844 and State Highway 300.
A hot air balloon carrying two passengers struck an approximate 925-foot cell tower in Longview, Texas, on Feb. 28.
Visuals from the scene show the balloon caught on the tower, pinning the basket and its passengers at a dangerous height.
A hot air balloon carrying two passengers struck an approximate 925-foot cell tower in Longview, Texas, on Feb. 28. (Longview Fire Department/Facebook)
The picture above highlights the sheer scale of the tower and the intensity of the scene as the occupants remained suspended at a dangerous elevation.
Officials emphasized that it was a "highly technical and time-intensive operation."
HOT AIR BALLOON CRASHES ONTO HOUSE IN ARIZONA
Using multiple rope systems to reach the basket due to the height and technical nature of the rescue, climbing operations began around 8:50 a.m., and around 10 a.m., rescuers made contact with the passengers.
Crews rescue two passengers after a hot air balloon crashed into 920-foot Texas cell tower on Feb. 28. (Longview Fire Department/Facebook)
The fire department said both occupants are conscious and luckily, no injuries were reported.
Officials added that the agency maintained command of the scene while experts from Stations 5 and 2 conducted the rescue.
According to a local news outlet, both passengers were pulled from the basket around 10:58 a.m.
The department is expected to conduct an after-action review in the coming days to debrief and evaluate the technical response.