Six Killed in Balloon Explosion
A hot-air balloon exploded after hitting a power line near a French Alpine village, killing all six people on board as the pilot’s wife watched from the ground.
The passengers, all residents of the area, were members of two families out for a Sunday morning pleasure ride with the pilot, an experienced balloonist, said Gilbert Lafaille, a prosecutor for the eastern French town of Albertville.
The balloon took off from Albertville, site of the 1992 Winter Olympics, and collided with a 20,000-volt power line as it began its descent above the village of Verrens-Arvey, said Laurent Moiron, a fire captain for a regional emergency squad.
The balloon caught fire, and investigators were trying to determine if contact with the power line was the cause. Moiron said some witnesses reported seeing flames shooting from the balloon before it hit the line about 30 feet up.
Two passengers died after jumping to escape the flames, Lafaille said.
As the balloon rose, propelled by the heat of the fire, gas tanks inside the balloon ignited and caused an explosion.
The pilot, Roger Fugier, 64, frequently took tourists and residents on balloon rides. He had crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and the Pyrenees in hot-air balloons, Lafaille said.
Fugier’s wife, who first reported the accident, was taken to a trauma center in shock.
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