Firefighters Climbed Communications Tower After It Punctured Balloon in Texas The Longview, Texas fire department launched a high-angle rescue for two people Saturday after a hot air balloon became snagged on a communications tower. The balloon’s envelope was punctured by the sharp edges of the 1,100-foot tower and was left dangling roughly 920 feet above the ground. Photos shared by the fire department show the tattered balloon trapped in the tower’s bars as its basket, with the two people inside, swung back and forth in the wind. Fourteen rescuers, including both on- and off-duty responders, scaled the tower and made contact with the victims. The passengers were conscious and didn’t report any injuries, the fire department said. They were taken to a local hospital by Emergency Medical Services.
