Hot-air balloon strikes and collapses radio tower in Albuquerque during festival

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A hot-air balloon struck and collapsed a radio tower Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the city’s famous festival, authorities said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, said Kevin Carhart, a spokesperson for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. The balloon landed in a field after it struck the tower.

The 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is underway, but Carhart couldn’t say for sure whether the balloon that hit the tower was connected to the festival. It wasn’t clear how tall the tower was or whether its collapse threatened any other structures.

A balloon bumped into a power line earlier this week in Albuquerque on the festival’s third day, leaving nearly 13,000 customers without power for almost an hour.

The fiesta is one of the world’s most photographed events, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators each fall to New Mexico to look up at more than 100 balloons in bright colors and special shapes.