Hot Air Balloon Crashes At Chatfield State Park, 3 People Injured
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- There were multiple injuries after a hot air balloon crashed at Chatfield State Park on Sunday morning. The hot air balloon crashed after 8 a.m. near the swim beach at Chatfield Reservoir.
"Actually we checked our weather app this morning and it was blowing like 20 miles per hour," said Jeff McGinley who lives in the area.
McGinley said he was heading out around that time.
"It was just winds gusting across and the hot air balloons were taking off over there at the normal spot," he said.
Deputies on scene of a hot air balloon crash near swim beach at Chatfield Reservoir. Crash was on land; multiple injuries, some passengers transported. PIO enroute; ETA is 50 mins. pic.twitter.com/gnOY9csxY0
— Jeffco Sheriff (@jeffcosheriffco) June 20, 2021
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office told CBS4 a hot air balloon crashed near the gravel ponds of the park. It had 6 passengers on board, emergency crews had to hike to the area to get to them, 3 people were then taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"We got reports of downed hot air balloons, we believe a strong gust of winds came through and affected the balloon's flight," said Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jenny Fulton.
From Chatfield State Park where a hot air balloon crashed to the SW of the gravel ponds. pic.twitter.com/vzMmgA07uq
— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) June 20, 2021
Deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers responded to the scene.
McGinley is used to watching the hot air balloons, but he's also had a rough landing in one once too.
"Down in Estapa Mexico, we were coming too hot on the beach and he just had to let the air out and drop us down," he recalled.
The crash at Chatfield State Park wasn't the only hot air balloon crash, there was another reported in Douglas County.
"I know there was another balloon that was also affected by the strong gust of winds and they landed more safely in Roxborough in Douglas County," said Fulton.
The National Transportation Safety Board typically investigates hot air balloon crashes.