3 Seriously Injured in Jumping 30 Feet From Fiery Balloon
A hot air balloon struck a power line and caught fire Tuesday, forcing three persons to jump more than 30 feet to the ground. All three suffered serious injuries.
The pilot, Maynard Whitney, 53, of Aurora, and passenger Russ Cross, 69, of Erie, were listed in critical but stable condition at the North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, a nursing supervisor said . Dianna Hine, 42, of Brighton, was listed in stable condition at Humana Hospital in Aurora.
State trooper Craig Knuckey, one of the first persons on the scene, said that the basket of the blue-and-white balloon caught fire after it struck the power line. The passengers jumped and the burning basket fell to the ground nearby, he said. The nylon balloon drifted away.
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