Incidents Affect 52nd Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Disrupting Event Flow

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The final day of the 52nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta wrapped up with an impressive drone display and a seamless mass ascension. However, the event wasn’t without its challenges this year.

On Saturday, one of the balloons partially ignited after coming into contact with power lines during its landing at a construction site in northwest Albuquerque. Fortunately, officials reported that no injuries occurred, and the fire was quickly brought under control.

Earlier in the weekend, on Friday, a different incident involved a balloon pilot who, along with two passengers, collided with a radio tower, resulting in its collapse just west of Balloon Fiesta Park. This incident marked the second time in two decades that balloons have interacted with that particular tower. Thankfully, the pilot and passengers emerged unharmed and managed to land safely. However, the radio station that operated the tower faced outages until the following day.

Additionally, reports indicated that a person sustained a head injury on Wednesday when a balloon struck a large tree while attempting to land at a nearby golf course. The gondola became lodged 25 feet in the air, prompting a rescue operation for the two remaining passengers.

On Tuesday, nearly 13,000 residents temporarily lost power for about an hour after another balloon collided with a power line in the city.

Fiesta spokesperson Tom Garrity expressed concerns regarding these incidents, stating, “We are always worried when balloon flights don’t proceed as intended. Our chief objective is to ensure safety, so we view any accident as one too many.”

The nine-day fiesta, renowned as one of the most photographed gatherings globally, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each autumn to witness the stunning array of over 100 colorful and uniquely shaped balloons.