3 Injured, Including 8-Year-Old, in Arizona Hot Air Balloon Accident

A runaway hot air balloon in Arizona resulted in multiple injuries and severe damage to local property and powerlines when an unexpected gust of wind caused the balloon to take flight.

On Saturday, July 6 at 11:48 a.m. local time, a hot air balloon in northern Arizona crashed, leaving three people injured, including an 8-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, according to a press release from the Williams Police Department. 

“The Williams Police Department responded to a hot air balloon crash at Ramada Inn Hotel. The incident occurred during the setup of the balloon’s operations. The Pilot, identified as Dwayne Osborne, reported that initial wind speeds were around 7-8 miles per hour, but a sudden thermal gust of air escalated winds to 40-50 miles per hour, leading to the balloon detaching from its anchor point and colliding with nearby structures and vehicles,” the release said.

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The Williams Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Although there were no passengers inside the hot air balloon at the time it was carried away by the strong winds, the three people who were injured as it crashed were taken to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment, the Williams Police Department said. 

The injuries sustained include “a broken thumb and rope burns for the 8-year-old female, and back and neck injuries for the 15-year-old male,” while “the adult female sustained abrasions,” according to the release.

Pedestrians weren’t the only ones who were impacted by the speeding hot air balloon. It also caused severe damage to nearby vehicles and property damage to canopies and tables before knocking down a light pole at the Ramada Inn, authorities said.

After securing the area and collecting evidence of the collision, the Williams Police Department said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was informed and the agency will be investigating the incident further.