Hot-Air Balloon Knocks Out Power To American Water Co.,

By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

Passengers and the pilot of a hot-air balloon were spared serious injury after a gust of wind blew the balloon into a 26,000-volt power line knocking out power to The New Jersey American Water Company treatment plant and a Bank of America on Sunday near Weston Canal Road in Franklin.

The 28th annual Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning at Solberg Airport in Readington got off to a flawless start under sunny skies and warm temperatures as more than 100 balloons lifted off on the final morning of the event. But the landing 8:00 p.m. of one balloon, according to the Star Ledger, was far less picturesque.

The pilot, identified as Don Palen, of Middletown, R.I. nor his three passengers, a 45-year-old man and two girls, ages 9 and 13, from Holmdel were injured, Sgt. Philip Rizzo of the Franklin Township Police Department told The Star-Ledger. All four luckily exited the balloon before the gust of wind pushed it into the power lines, dragging the basket towards the fence. A chase crew retrieved the balloon, basket and propane tanks.

Palen’s balloon is called Sky Drifter, a standard reverse-teardrop shape with yellow, green, red and blew panels stitched into spirals. Rides cost $200 per ticket.

"A gust pushed it into a fence owned by New Jersey American Water, and the balloon went into the lines, and a circuit popped," Rizzo said. "All the occupants of the balloon were able to get out safely and unharmed.

Russ Mensch, a spokesman for the festival, called the incident, "extremely rare," the first in his five years with the festival.

Richard Barnes, a spokesman for New Jersey American, said the plant’s back-up generator kicked in immediately, and there was no loss of water service. Restoration crews had the power to both buildings back on within an hour, said Deann Muzikar, a spokeswoman for Public Service Electric & Gas.