Hot-air balloon bumps line, causing brief power outage during Albuquerque balloon fiesta

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A hot-air balloon bumped into a power line in northeast Albuquerque on Monday, leaving nearly 13,000 customers of a New Mexico electric utility without power for nearly an hour, authorities said.

Monday marked the third day of the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

New Mexico’s PNM utility said the incident occurred at 8:35 a.m. and affected 12,730 customers. Event organizers said the balloon later landed safely and nobody aboard was injured.

There was no word in the immediate aftermath of the ou what caused the incident.

The balloon fiesta is one of the most photographed events in the world, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to New Mexico each fall to see more than 100 balloons in special shapes soaring aloft.

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