In Longview, a hot air balloon crash into a radio tower at 920 feet sparked a challenging rescue due to strong winds, but both occupants were safely saved.
LONGVIEW, Texas — Two people were rescued Saturday morning after a hot air balloon crashed into a cell phone tower in Longview.
The cell phone tower is near Highway 300 at FM 1844. Strong winds at that elevation caused complications for the rescue efforts.
Longview Fire Marshal Marcus Delaney confirmed the two people in the balloon have been safely rescued.
The Longview Fire Department said the crash happened around 8:15 a.m. when a hot air balloon basket carrying two occupants struck a cell phone tower at an estimated height of 920 feet near the intersection of State Highway 300 and FM 1844 in north Gregg County.
Rescue efforts immediately were underway.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Longview Fire, Judson Fire, East Mountain Fire, East Mountain Police, Longview Police, the Gregg and Upshur County Sheriff’s Offices, and DPS.
Longview is the home of the Great Texas Balloon Race, an annual event held in the summer filled with hot air balloon enthusiasts. The Great Texas Balloon Race is a Balloon Federation of America event and hosted the BFA’s United States National Championship competition for 2012-2015. It began in 1978.
This incident is not connected to the balloon race, but it’s a time-honored event in the area.