Two people were saved in a heart-stopping rescue after their hot air balloon collided with a Texas cell tower Saturday morning, leaving them dangling nearly 1,000 feet above the ground.
The Longview Fire Department launched the “high angle rescue” just before 9 a.m. after receiving reports that a rainbow hot air balloon became snagged on a cell tower.
The balloon’s envelope was punctured by the sharp edges of the 1,100-foot tower and was left dangling roughly 920 feet above the ground, according to the fire department.
Stomach-dropping photos shared by the department showed the tattered balloon trapped in the tower’s bars as its basket, with the two people inside, swung back and forth in the wind.
Fourteen rescuers, including both on and off-duty responders, scaled the tower and made contact with the frazzled victims by 10 a.m. Both were still conscious and didn’t report any injuries suffered during the crash, the fire department said.
First responders used multiple 300-foot ropes to safely remove the passengers from the hot air balloon basket. They lowered the shaken pair “rope by rope” until they were back on the ground, fire officials said at a press conference.
“Overall, it was a pretty smooth operation, as much as it can be, with all the challenges here,” Longview Special Operations Lieutenant Stephen Winchell said.
“Climbing 1,000 feet up, 1,000 feet down, for some of them, with a bunch of heavy gear and rope, is a very physically taxing event. I’m thankful for their sweat-equity, and the Lord being with us,” he added.
The basket was “swinging pretty good in the breeze there” while the petrified passengers clung to the edges for dear life, Winchell said.
He described the situation as “the Super Bowl of rope rescues” simply due to the logistical challenges, including the exposure to the elements and the height of the tower.
He praised the passengers for “doing what they needed to do to be calm and cooperative” during the death-defying rescue.
The harrowing accident drew a large audience, with some even setting up lawn chairs nearby the watch the hours-long rescue. Winchell said a friend told him his own family was watching from a nearby gas station.
Tower King II, a local construction company, will break down the remnants of the balloon piece by piece. Their first priority is lowering the basket and its remaining tank of propane back to the ground. After that, they’ll free the rest of the shredded envelope, Winchell explained.
The firemen and emergency responders were lauded for their heroism — and rewarded with free pizza.
“Never expected, but always appreciated,” the fire department wrote on Facebook.
“Your support means everything after a day like today,” it added.
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