Burning balloon crashes
(N Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 28. The Inspector of Air Accidents will not investigate the crash of a gas-filled ballon at Ellerslie yesterday, in which two persons were injured, because the balloon was not a registered aircraft, and was tethered, being unsuitable for free flight.
However, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport said yesterday that division staff inspected the wreckage yesterday before returning it to its owner.
Used to' advertise the Auckland Racing Club Easter carnival, the balloon fell 35ft to the ground when a strong gust of wind caught it. The bottle of propane gas exploded when it hit the ground, burning the occupants, who were taken to Green Lane Hospital. They were Laurence John Soffe, and Mrs Riro Marret.
Firemen sprayed the remaining bottles of propane to cool them, and doused the flames.
Mr Soffe was later discharged from hospital, and Mrs Marret was transferred to Middlemore Hospital, where her condition is satisfactory
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33804, 29 March 1975, Page 2
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165Burning balloon crashes Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33804, 29 March 1975, Page 2
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