Multiple people killed, including a child, when helicopter crashed into a Houston communications tower
By Elizabeth Wolfe and Sarah Dewberry, CNN
(CNN) — Multiple people were killed, including a child, when a helicopter slammed into a communications tower behind homes in Houston’s Second Ward on Sunday night, causing a fiery explosion and toppling the structure, Mayor John Whitmire said.
The crash happened near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street just before 8 p.m., igniting a large explosion that could be heard at a fire station less than half a mile from the site, Whitmire said during a late-night press conference.
Officials did not clarify how many were killed, but there were four people onboard the privately-owned Robinson R44 helicopter, according to Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz.
The aircraft appears to have departed the Ellington Airport, which is about 17 miles south of the crash site, but its destination is unclear, the mayor said.
Witness video shows fire personnel urging onlookers to clear the area where a fire was burning and warning them of a propane tank in the area.
“This is a tragic event tonight. It’s a tragic loss of life,” Diaz said.
The fire was no longer active as of 9:30 p.m., a fire department spokesperson said.
“The residents are secure and safe, but we have a terrible accident scene,” Whitmire said.
Photos shared by the fire department show the mangled tower draped across a dirt clearing behind a line of homes.
Some homes near the crash site lost power, Whitmire said.
The mayor said the city is “fortunate” that the explosion was not more severe because there is a butane tank in the area.
Manuel Arciniega was nearby when the crash occurred, according to CNN affiliate KPRC.
“My buddy behind me told me to look up in the sky, and I just saw the cell tower crumbling down. They said a helicopter hit it,” Arciniega told the affiliate.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the incident, the fire department said.
“It will be a large investigation because of the expanse of the accident,” Diaz said. If residents find helicopter parts in the area, they should avoid touching them and notify fire or police officials, he added.
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