The pilot of a hot air balloon and his passengers were burned when propane ignited as he was changing a fuel line upon lift off at the Great Falls Balloon Festival in Lewiston.
Festival organizers said a small amount of propane leaked and ignited when it came in contact Saturday with the burner.
WCSH television station in Portland reported that pilot Andre Boucher suffered second-degree burns to his legs, arms and face. Boucher was taken to a hospital.
The injured passengers were either treated at the scene by medics or taken to a hospital.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Surging Oil Tanker Insurance Points to Growing Black Sea Chaos 
JPMorgan Wins Gender Pay Gap Dispute Against London Analyst 
Musk’s xAI Faces California AG Probe Over Grok Sexual Images 
Munich Re: Insured Losses From Wildfires, Storms and Floods Hit Record High 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.