Hot-Air Balloon Hits Power Line, Knocking Out Power for Thousands in Albuquerque

The incident occurred during the third day of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, affecting nearly 13,000 utility customers.

Nearly 13,000 customers lost power for almost an hour after a hot-air balloon struck a power line in northeast Albuquerque.
The incident took place at 8:35 a.m. during the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Public Service Company of New Mexico confirmed the power outage affected 12,730 customers.
The balloon landed safely with no injuries reported, and the pilot remained unharmed.
Event organizers have not yet determined the cause of the accident, which temporarily disrupted the highly photographed festival.