# Hot air balloon fire **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126 "2014-05-10T15:24:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/1 "2014-05-10T15:24:59Z")
The news is reporting a hot air balloon that caught fire and crashed in Virginia - reports are sketchy and they have not yet located the wreckage, but it appears the balloon brushed a power line and there are photos and video of it on fire and going down. Serious, serious\* _shudder_\*. Every time I hear about an incident like this, I can’t help but think there are few worse ways to go - falling, next to propane tanks, and having 100+ pounds of burning nylon land on top of you. The very stuff of nightmares. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/2 "2014-05-10T15:36:24Z")
One body has been found, the other 2 are still missing. Horrifying event. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/3 "2014-05-10T18:28:30Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Serious, serious\* _shudder_\*. Every time I hear about an incident like this, I can’t help but think there are few worse ways to go - falling, next to propane tanks, and having 100+ pounds of burning nylon land on top of you. The very stuff of nightmares. It’s the “on fire” part that really gets me with these sorts of accidents. Forget the burning nylon, burning ME is something my mind shies away from. Sure, yeah, falling to your death is pretty awful but _being on fire_ scares me worse than gravity and a sudden stop. I’ve taken a hot air balloon ride. They wonderful, lovely, etc. I’d do it again. I also listen carefully to the safety briefing prior to lift off and have no problems asking questions. Even so, I’m cognizant there is a certain inherent risk to leaving the ground no matter how you go about it. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/4 "2014-05-10T18:55:13Z")
found another. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/5 "2014-05-10T19:09:59Z")
It’s the basket that caught fire after striking power lines. I recall something about power lines being the most common cause of hot air balloon accidents. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/6 "2014-05-10T20:19:19Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Forget the burning nylon… Every try to seal the end of a cut backpack strap with a lighter… and have it flick a hot glob onto your hand or arm? Having hundreds of square feet of burning, melting such stuff land all over you after _possibly_ surviving the impact - just the thought gives me the willies. It does appear the gondola was what was burning, and fell free from the envelope. Still awful. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/7 "2014-05-10T20:56:51Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Serious, serious\* _shudder_\*. Every time I hear about an incident like this, I can’t help but think there are few worse ways to go - falling, next to propane tanks, and having 100+ pounds of burning nylon land on top of you. The very stuff of nightmares. I quite disagree. While extremely painful it is all going to be over in 5 minutes or so. Contrast cancer where you can suffer for months or years. I don’t quite understand how bumping into a power line causes a fire. Could someone clarify? What type materials are we talking about here…? Wouldn’t most of the materials be insulators rather than conductors…? PS. What are the legal consequences? Is the site holding the event going to be sued for not providing warning about the power lines? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/8 "2014-05-10T21:15:53Z")
I don’t know the rules for balloonists, but I know pilots are supposed to see and avoid, as well as have the proper charts for the area they’ll be crossing. I don’t think the folks running the event would be liable. When you’re the pilot, you’re in charge and you’re supposed to know what you’re doing and where you’re doing it. As for power lines - they’re bare wires, and if the gondola got across 2 lines or a line and a tower, current would flow and a fire would start. At least that’s my understanding. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/9 "2014-05-10T21:22:28Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I quite disagree. While extremely painful it is all going to be over in 5 minutes or so. Contrast cancer where you can suffer for months or years. Contrast surviving with 90% third degree burns, where you can suffer for months or years. :mad: And while you do have a point, at least with cancer you get the chance to say goodbye to your loved ones. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/10 "2014-05-10T21:59:04Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > It does appear the gondola was what was burning, and fell free from the envelope. Still awful. Yes, and on a balloon flight you’re in the gondola… which at that point would be burning. There were also reports of “explosions” which would seem to indicate the propane tanks blew. Those are pretty darn close to you, either in the gondola (which is burning, remember?) or rigged just above your head near the burner. Oh, hey, you’re standing in a flaming basket, the gas tanks are exploding… Also, the flaming envelope, once detracted from the burning gondola, will continue rising for a bit, being full of hot air and suddenly relieved of weight, and any melting gobs will land well away from where you splat. Just not a fun way to spend the day. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/11 "2014-05-10T22:17:38Z")
How high were the power lines? Could people have survived if they immediately jumped overboard? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/12 "2014-05-10T22:29:27Z")
The towers typically run from 50-200’ tall, depending upon terrain. I don’t know how survivable that is. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/13 "2014-05-10T23:59:48Z")
Not very. Generally, 20 feet is starting to get reliably lethal and anything higher is even more likely to kill you. Yes, I know people have survived falls from higher, but it’s pretty darn unlikely. They typically fall onto something that breaks their fall rather than bringing them to a sudden full stop. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/14 "2014-05-11T03:19:38Z")
Burning is the worst death I can imagine. I’ve seen those clips of people jumping out of the twin towers, and although heights are also a major phobia of mine, I’d rather jump than burn. I wonder if those in the gondola had a chance to jump, although it would mean certain death, or were they instantly surrounded by flame. On second thought, I don’t want to know. I once heard someone say that the WTC jumpers had committed the sin of suicide, and couldn’t be forgiven. I couldn’t reply then, I was so shocked at such a callous attitude. I discussed it with my congregation’s priest, and he said that such an act was certainly _ **NOT** _ suicide, but choosing how you would die, and that God would never condemn those jumpers. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/15 "2014-05-11T20:32:26Z")
The passengers were two women involved in coaching the University of Richmond basketball team: > **[Victims of Hot-Air Balloon Crash in Virginia Identified](https://mashable.com/archive/victims-balloon-crash-virginia-identified)** > > Victims of Hot-Air Balloon Crash in Virginia Identified Interestingly the pilot Dan Kirk (ex military, 37 years in the military) had 30 years ballooning experience: > **[Pilot in Fatal Air Balloon Crash had 30 Years Experience](https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hot-air-balloon-accident/pilot-fatal-air-balloon-crash-had-30-years-experience-n102266)** > > Daniel T. Kirk's father confirmed to NBC News that his son was the pilot of the balloon that caught fire during a balloon festival in Virginia. He was a licensed commercial balloon pilot and offered tours: [http://www.starshipadventures.net/flightinfo.php](http://www.starshipadventures.net/flightinfo.php) [I had guessed the pilot must have been an amateur with very little experience] ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/16 "2014-05-11T21:58:50Z")
Oh shit! I didn’t know him well, but I just saw him & was talking to him last Sun. **Broomstick** pretty much got it right in her answers. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-air-balloon-fire/688126/17 "2014-05-12T13:52:27Z")
I’ve been flying with my father since the sport was in its infancy in the very early 80s. There are two kinds of hot air balloon pilots: those who have hit power lines, and those who will. The most common reaction for a pilot who finds himself at eye level with a set of wires is to hit the burner and try to hop over them. That’s how situations like the one in the OP often arise. It is much safer to pull on the vent and take the hit with the envelope. My father once draped his across a set of low tension wires, and only put about a 6-inch burn mark in the nylon. I’ve seen the wires used to connect the basket to the envelope completely severed by power lines as though they came into contact with a hot knife. I’ve heard of propane tanks exploding, but never seen that first hand, thank god.