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The Nation - News from March 23, 1987

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A gust of wind may have pushed a hot air balloon into power lines that apparently severed a gas bag from its gondola, which fell 50 feet and killed one passenger and injured eight others, authorities in Summit Park, Utah, said. The 100-foot tall balloon, carrying tourists over the scenic Wasatch Mountains, came down in knee-deep snow near Interstate 80, 20 miles east of Salt Lake City, and many passing motorists stopped and hiked to the crash site to help. Several propane tanks aboard the gondola exploded and burned in the crash, Summit County Fire Marshal Sam Coleman said.

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