Longview, Texas – Drone footage shows a heart-stopping rescue after a hot air balloon collided with a cellphone tower on February 28, leaving two passengers trapped more than 900 feet in the air.

Two firefighters from the Longview Fire Department, Lt. Stephen Winchell and Cliff Patrick, described the incident as the “Super Bowl” of rope rescues. “Everyone showed up, and everyone brought their A-game to it, and the training paid off,” Patrick said. “It was a very rewarding experience to be able to be a part of that.”

Rescue crews spent over an hour climbing the tower to reach the stranded balloon. “This basket is tenuously hanging on the tower by a thread,” Patrick recalled. Wind gusts of up to 24 mph made the climb even more perilous.

Winchell explained the urgency of the rescue. “I grabbed a little bit of gear, got the basics of the plan and started climbing, because we knew we had a long ways to go.” Once they reached the passengers, one was standing in the basket while the other was sitting. Crews secured the basket with ropes and guided both passengers to safety.

The Upshur County Constable’s Office praised the firefighters’ courage and skill, noting the passengers and their families are “beyond grateful” for the lifesaving efforts. Constable Tim Barnett said, “The professionalism, courage, and precision demonstrated by the Longview Fire Department was nothing short of extraordinary. They prepared for a moment like this — and when the call came, they executed flawlessly.”

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