UPDATE: Hot air balloon collides with North Okanagan power line

ARMSTRONG – A hot air balloon taking part in Vernon Winter Carnvial hit power lines near Armstrong this morning.

The hot hair balloon, carrying six passengers and a pilot, collided with high tension power lines along Highway 97A just south of Armstrong around 10 a.m. today, Feb. 1, according to an RCMP media release. No one was hurt.

"Initial stages of the investigation show the balloon may have encountered an updraft from wind that forced the balloon to strike a rock face of a hill just adjacent to the highway causing it then to collide with power lines," Const. Kelly Brett says in the release.

Capt. Chris Bridgeman, with the fire department in Armstrong, says the balloon wasn't moving quickly and the balloon briefly hit the power lines and then coasted to the ground as it deflated. He says there was no risk of fire.

Vernon Winter Carnival chairperson Deb White says the balloon was ruined. It was one of several that took off in Vernon and floated towards Armstrong for the first day of the 10-day winter carnival.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

— This story was updated at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 with files from The Canadian Press.

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