Social Media Abuzz with Footage of Hot Air Balloon Landing in Busy Bedford Street.

Photo Credits: BBC

A video clip has been going viral on social media, featuring a hot air balloon making an impromptu landing in a busy street in Bedford, UK. The British Balloon and Airship Club (BBAC) confirmed to BBC News that the balloon "landed without incident" and confirmed that no one was injured. 

The balloon can be seen narrowly avoiding a building before making an emergency landing on Bower Street at around 9:30 am local time on Saturday. Residents quickly rushed out to help guide it away from rooftops as it descended.  On the morning of the incident, the Variohm Components-branded hot air balloon, registration ‘G-BXLF’, was flying over Bedford when the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing. 

The full reasons which led to this emergency landing have not been disclosed. However, to the relief of everyone involved, the balloon avoided collision with nearby houses, parked cars, and power lines. 

Sam Coldham, a Bedford resident, was out for a stroll with his dog and his partner, Sian King, when they noticed the hot air balloon descending over Bower Street. Sian immediately began filming the incident. According to Coldham, the balloon appeared to be hovering and did not seem likely to land in nearby Russell Park, so he stepped in to grab the guide rope and help bring it down safely. 

Hot air balloons are a popular choice for tourists and locals seeking leisure activities. Given the relatively low number of flights, incidents involving hot air balloons are rare. The most serious instances with hot air balloons take place when they appear in the area near airports, when commercial airliners may be at risk. However, the most frequent issues are rough or hard landings, while collisions with obstacles such as power lines or trees, weather-related problems, or pilot errors are less common.