” One person was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries following a crash of a hot-air balloon in Arvada Saturday morning and another hot-air balloon crash was reported in Boulder County, authorities say.
The Arvada crash victim was treated at a local hospital and released. The person’s name has not been released.
The balloon struck a power line and then crashed onto Highway 72 about a quarter mile East of Highway 93, said Scott Pribble, Arvada fire spokesman.
The balloon dragged on the highway for about 100 yards before it stopped, Pribble said.
“They were probably going 20 or 30 mph and they were real close to the ground,” said Devin Rourke, 26, a Centaurus High School cross-country coach who was about to start running with students when he saw the balloon falling. “At that time the wind was definitely gusting.”
Three people were in the balloon when the accident happened, Pribble said. The other two people were not hurt.
He added that there was a small weed fire near the balloon accident, but it was not caused by the balloon crash and was quickly extinguished.
Highway 72 is closed for an investigation of the crash.
Pribble said he does not know who owned the balloon or whether strong winds this morning contributed to the crash.
A second crash happened in Boulder County in which firefighters and deputies responded. Little information about this crash early Saturday morning is available. Boulder County dispatchers say more details will be available Saturday afternoon.
A deputy from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a hard landing of another hot-air balloon at Rocky Flats, said Jacki Kelley, sheriff’s spokeswoman.
Neither of the two people who were in the basket were injured, she said.
“We had some really wicked winds,” she said.”
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