7 injured when hot air balloon catches fire during takeoff in Switzerland

BERLIN — Seven people were injured when a hot air balloon caught fire Saturday morning during takeoff from a village in central Switzerland, authorities said.

Authorities in the canton of Zug said seven people — four women and three men, aged between 28 and 62 — were in the balloon's basket in the village of Huenenberg, southwest of Zurich. Two women and one man were seriously injured, while the other four occupants suffered minor injuries.

The injured were taken to the hospital by the ambulance service and by private individuals, according to a statement.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.