Two people were saved after their hot-air balloon crashed into a communications tower and became stuck 900 feet (274 metres) above the ground in Longview, East Texas, in a dramatic rescue that unfolded over several hours on Saturday, February 28.
The challenging, hours-long, rescue saw over a dozen firefighters stationed at various points along the tower. It took about an hour for them to reach the man and woman trapped in the balloon’s basket and secure them with ropes and harnesses to safely lower them to the ground.
With strong winds adding to the danger, a team of roughly fourteen skilled rescuers climbed over 900 feet up the tower to reach the stranded passengers.
Given the flat terrain of East Texas and the tower’s height, it was likely the tallest rescue in the department’s history.
For more information, you can read the Longview Fire Department post below.
