A hot air balloon exploded in south central Missouri, the Missouri State Highway Patrol announced. A man from Mountain Grove died after he jumped from the balloon when he saw that a propane tank was leaking. Elmer Blair, 49, was making a test flight of the balloon when it was attached to a 100-feet distance from the ground.

Marty Elmore of the Missouri Highway Patrol identified the man and also stated that another man was injured while he was trying to rescue Blair from the burning wreckage.

The explosion took place at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday in the east of Mountain Grove. It seems that while Blair was initiating the flight and after he got into the balloon he realized a propane tank was leaking. Quickly after Blair jumped from the balloon, this exploded and parts of it were flying it the air together with Blair’s body.

Elmer Lane, 34, also from Mountain Grove tried to pull Blair out of the flames and he got himself some moderate burns. Blair died after he hit the ground as no flames touched him.

The balloon was connected to a truck. As televisions reported "Investigators say Blair jumped out of the balloon, which was between 30 and 75 feet in the air, but he likely died after hitting the ground."