Did a hot air balloon crash in Albuquerque?
FIVE people are dead after a hot air balloon crashed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the morning of June 26, 2021. The tragic accident took place at about 7 am when the balloon hit power lines, according to KRQE. A hot air balloon crashed in Albuquerque, leaving five people dead and about 14,000 without power. Three men, including the pilot, and two females died. Four of them were pronounced dead at the scene, and the fifth person died after being taken to the hospital in critical condition. The crash took place near a CVS in a busy area of Albuquerque, a city of more than 500,000. Traffic is shut down, avoid the area and seek alternative routes, the state police said. The victims' age ranges are believed to be 40s to 60s, according to ABC News. 2 Five people were killed Credit: AP  The multi-colored balloon skirted the top of the power lines, sending at least one dangling. The gondola fell about 100 feet and crashed in the median of a busy street, catching on fire, according to the FAA. Bystanders frantically called out for a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Authorities have not determined what caused the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board sent two investigators to the scene who will look into the pilot, the balloon itself and the operating environment. Most read in News MAGA FEST Trump takes the stage at Ohio rally as hundreds of fans cheer him on DEADLY SCENE Gunman 'kills two people after crashing stolen truck into building' 'TERROR' TANTRUM Michael Strahan's ex-wife 'arrested after harassing ex-girlfriend' KILLER HEAT 'Life-threatening heatwave' to hit US TODAY and bring record high temperatures HOPES FADING Signs of life 'GONE' as it's revealed tower was checked HOURS before collapse 'OUT OF HIS MIND' Biden 'is barely hanging in there' & US 'doesn't really have a leader'  A preliminary report typically is available in a couple of weeks. Police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said hot air balloons can be difficult to manage, particularly when the wind kicks up. Our balloonists tend to be very much experts at navigating, but sometimes we have these types of tragic accidents, he said.