3 People injured in Arizona hot air balloon accident, including an 8-year-old

When an unforeseen surge of wind enabled a runaway hot air balloon in Arizona to take off, it severely damaged nearby property and powerlines and caused several injuries.

Three persons were hurt in a hot air balloon collision in northern Arizona on Saturday, July 6 at 11:48 a.m. local time, including a 15-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl, according to a news release from the Williams Police Department.

The Ramada Inn Hotel experienced a hot air balloon crash, to which the Williams Police Department reacted. The event happened when the balloon’s operations were being set up.

According to the pilot, Dwayne Osborne, winds were initially only about 7-8 mph. However, a sudden thermal gust of air caused the winds to spike to 40–50 mph, which caused the balloon to break free from its anchor point and crash into surrounding cars and buildings, according to the press release.

When PEOPLE asked the Williams Police Department for comment, they did not answer right away.

The three victims of the hot air balloon crash were transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for medical attention, despite the fact that no passengers were inside when it was swept away by the powerful winds, according to the Williams Police Department.

According to the announcement, “the adult female sustained abrasions,” while “the 8-year-old female sustained a broken thumb and rope burns, and the 15-year-old male sustained back and neck injuries.”

Not just pedestrians were affected by the hot air balloon’s rapid speed. Before bringing down a light pole at the Ramada Inn, it also seriously damaged neighboring cars and caused property damage to tables and canopies, according to investigators.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was notified and will be conducting a more thorough investigation into the event, according to the Williams Police Department, once the scene was secured and collision evidence was gathered.