Shocking moment hot air balloon drags motorcycle into power cables that explode - leaving 400K homes and businesses without electricity

At least 400,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity after an unmanned hot air balloon collided with power lines in Brazil.

Cell phone video footage showed the shocking moment the 246-foot tall balloon soared through the east end of São Paulo after it lifted a motorcycle that hit a power pole during the early hours of Monday.

The incident generated a power outage in seven neighborhoods and sparked a fire at a residential home. 

'The police ordered everyone to leave, because things were bad, there was a lot of fire',  Waldecir Sandrin, a resident, said according to Brazilian news outlet G1. 'A tragedy could have happened, because there was a lot of fire.'

No injuries were reported by the São Paulo authorities.

A hot air balloon knocked out electricity to around 400,000 homes and businesses during the early hours Monday in the Brazilian city of São Paulo. The balloon, which was illegally released by a group, was able to lift a motorcycle off the ground as it soared through the eastern end of the city before striking a power line 

A motorcycle was found resting between power lines in a São Paulo neighborhood Monday after it was lifted off the ground by a hot air balloon

The balloon also destroyed a day care playground and damaged several vehicles. 

At least 95 percent of the properties had electricity restored by Monday evening.

Kaue Ramos, 20, told Brazilian news outlet G1 he was sleeping at when he was woken up by the impact of the balloon.

'I was sleeping with my mother. When I woke up to a crashing noise, like an explosion. And when I looked ... a balloon was passing by, which dragged my motorcycle, knocked over my mother's car and hit the neighbor's car,' he said. 'And it dragged my motorcycle to the wire. It lifted the motorcycle and hit the wire.'

Ramos said none of the three vehicles were insured.

The São Paulo police is analyzing a video that showed the moment a hot air balloon was ignited before it knocked out electricity to seven neighborhoods early Monday 

Flames spread through a residential home after the balloon crashed into it

The power outage affected around 400,000 residences and businesses in São Paulo

São Paulo Civil Police chief Renato Mello told G1 that investigators have been looking into a video that shows a crowd standing in front the balloon as it was being ignited.

The balloon was then released before a fireworks display was set off.  

'We have some investigations underway, some groups of balloonists have already been identified,' Mello said. 'It is criminal conduct, because it causes fires, material damage, people are even injured, there is a risk of death.'

Releasing balloons is considered an environmental crime in Brazil and is punishable by up to three years in prison.