Stuck 920 feet above Texas
It was supposed to be an exciting way to go to a birthday party with 5 hot air balloons flying over the party and landing to celebrate. Four of them made it to the party, but one is the most famous today because their trip got interrupted by a 1000 foot radio tower. Saturday morning, as you can see they were pretty well stuck and would be late for the party. The bump into the tower left leaving them dangling nearly 1,000 feet above the ground. The balloon’s envelope was punctured by the sharp edges of the 1,100-foot tower and was left dangling roughly 920 feet above the ground, according to the fire department. Stomach-dropping photos shared by the department showed the tattered balloon trapped in the tower’s bars as its basket, with the two people inside, swung back and forth in the wind. Fourteen rescuers, including both on and off-duty responders, scaled the tower and made contact with the frazzled victims by 10 a.m. Both were still conscious and didn’t report any injuries suffered during the crash, the fire department said.
The Longview Fire Department launched the “high angle rescue” just before 9 a.m. after receiving reports that a rainbow hot air balloon became snagged on a cell tower. The basket was “swinging pretty good in the breeze there” while the petrified passengers clung to the edges for dear life, Winchell said. “Overall, it was a pretty smooth operation, as much as it can be, with all the challenges here,” Longview Special Operations Lieutenant Stephen Winchell said. “Climbing 1,000 feet up, 1,000 feet down, for some of them, with a bunch of heavy gear and rope, is a very physically taxing event. I’m thankful for their sweat-equity, and the Lord being with us,” he added.
He described the situation as “the Super Bowl of rope rescues” simply due to the logistical challenges, including the exposure to the elements and the height of the tower. He praised the passengers for “doing what they needed to do to be calm and cooperative” during the death-defying rescue. The harrowing accident drew a large audience, with some even setting up lawn chairs nearby to watch the hours-long rescue. Winchell said a friend told him his own family was watching from a nearby gas station. Tower King II will break down the remnants of the balloon piece by piece. Their first priority is lowering the basket and its remaining tank of propane back to the ground. The firemen and emergency responders were lauded for their heroism — and rewarded with free pizza.
Towering truths
A chap is flying in a hot air balloon but is lost. He sees paddy below and shouts, “Hey, do you know where I am?”
Paddy says, “You can’t fool me, you’re up there in that little box.”
Marvel Comics have announced a new female, Muslim superhero who can fly.
Which is handy, cause she’s not allowed to drive.
What grows when you squeeze it, explodes if you rub it too hard, and children love it?
A balloon.
I don’t have a fear of heights.
It’s just that when I’m up real high, I got a fear of gravity.
March 4th Birthdays
1994 – Jenna Boyd, 1987 – Park Min-young, 1958 – Patricia Heaton, 1986 – Margo Harshman
1877 – Garrett Morgan, 1982 – Ha Seok-jin, 1990 – Draymond Green, 1745 – Kazmiersz Pulaski