16 Feared Dead in Hot Air Balloon Fire

Sixteen people may have lost their lives in a hot air balloon fire which happened in a pasture near Lockhart, Texas.



According to Texas authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 7:44 a.m. local time about a possible vehicle accident. The fire apparently broke out during flight in the basket portion of the hot air balloon.

“Investigators are determining the number and the identities of victims at this time,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to Reuters. Federal officials say a hot air balloon carrying at least 16 people caught on fire and crashed in Central Texas, July 30, 2016.