3 injured in hot air balloon crash near Winnipeg
Last Updated: Saturday, August 11, 2007 | 8:26 PM CT
CBC News
At least three people were rushed to hospital on Saturday after a hot air balloon crashed and caught on fire in a farmer's field near St. Clement, Man.
The accident, which Transport Canada is investigating, happened at around 9 a.m. as the commercial balloon was preparing to land, Peter Hildebrand of the Transportation Safety Board told CBC News.
The balloon crashed just north of Birds Hill Provincial Park, about 20 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
Witnesses told reporters that two of the victims appeared to be seriously hurt.
Two of the people sent to hospital with serious burns have since been upgraded from critical to stable condition.
Hildebrand said there were 12 people on board, including a child.
The balloon hit the ground and bounced a few times before the fire started, said Wes Lesard, a witness who was one of the first to arrive on the scene.
Another witness said the balloon appeared to be coming in too low and too quickly as it tried to land.
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