A helicopter crashed in Houston on Sunday after hitting a radio tower, killing four people on board, including a child, fire officials said.
According to Mayor John Whitmire, the crash occurred in Houston’s Second Ward near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street just before 8 p.m. Sunday, bringing down the tower.
Whitmire said the plane left Ellington Airport Sunday evening, although it was unclear where it went.
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz has said that there were four people in the privately owned tour helicopter and that the crash is believed to be an “accident.”
Officials have issued a somber plea to local residents, asking them to look for both fallen helicopter parts and human remains when they wake up in the morning.
Several people have been killed, including a child, after a shocking crash in Houston that saw a helicopter crash into a communications tower
The crash occurred in Houston’s Second Ward near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street just before 8 p.m. Sunday, bringing down the tower, Mayor John Whitmire said.
“It will be a major investigation because of the magnitude of the accident,” Diaz said, noting that the Federal Aviation Administration will be involved.
Authorities say it appears no one on the ground was killed or injured in the crash.
Whitmire believes it will take several days to clean up the crash. The stage is closed to the public.
“This is a tragic event tonight, it’s a tragic loss of life,” Whitmire added.
He added that the entire city is lucky the crash wasn’t worse, as there is a butane tank nearby.
The fire – which burned about 100 to 200 meters of grass in the immediate area – was extinguished around 9:30 pm local time, although some homes in the area were without power, according to sources. CNN.
“We saw this bright light flying towards the church,” said Marco Perez, who was attending a concert nearby.
“That light turned into an orange-red fireball,” he told police Houston Chronicle.
This is a development story.