Overview
- A hot air balloon crashed and caught fire in the Stewart Valley dry lake bed west of Pahrump on Thursday, leaving multiple people hospitalized with serious injuries.
- The Nye County Sheriff’s Office and Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue reported victims with second- and third-degree burns, one severe head injury, and other blunt-force trauma.
- The Federal Aviation Administration said there were 10 people on board and that an investigation involving multiple agencies is underway.
- A text to 911 at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday first alerted authorities and the caller reported self-transporting occupants to Desert View Hospital while fire crews found only the balloon company’s ground crew at the landing site.
- Some patients required transfer for additional care in Las Vegas and officials said the FAA will release further investigation details in the next business day as hospitals and investigators continue to assess injuries.