At Least Eight People Died After the Hot Air Balloon Caught Fire Mid-Air, Forcing Passangers to Jump Out of the Basket to Avoid the Flames. The Fire Occred in the Skies of Praia Grande – the municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and the popular destination for Hot Air Ballooning – On the Morning of Saturday, June 21, According to Jorginho Mello, The State’s Governor.