Helicopter hits crane and crashes in central London, killing two
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Buy SPH photosLONDON (AP) – Police say two people were killed when a helicopter crashed today during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on top of a building.
Two people were taken to a nearby hospital with “minor injuries,” London Ambulance Service said.
The helicopter crashed just south of the River Thames near the Underground and mainline train station at Vauxhall, and the British spy agency MI6.
Video on Sky News showed wreckage burning in a street, and a large plume of black smoke rose in the area. The video from the crash scene showed a line of flaming fuel and debris.
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-- PHOTO: YOUTUBE
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Debris lies on the ground after a helicopter crashed into a construction crane on top of St George's Wharf tower building, in London on Wednesday Jan 16, 2013. Police say two people were killed when a helicopter crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on top of a building. -- PHOTO: AP
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A broken section from a crane is seen lying on the pavement in a road in Vauxhall, London on Jan 16, 2013. A helicopter crashed into a crane on top of one of Europe's tallest residential blocks in central London on Wednesday, killing two people as it burst into flames and threw plumes of smoke into the foggy air. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Debris lies on the ground after a helicopter crashed into a construction crane on top of St George's Wharf tower building, in Vauxhall south London Wednesday Jan. 16, 2013. Police say two people were killed when a helicopter crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on top of a building. -- PHOTO: AP
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Debris and a burned out car are pictured at the scene of a helicopter crash in central London, on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed when a helicopter hit a crane at a building site in central London and plunged to the ground on Wednesday, police said. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A damaged crane (background) that was hit by a helicopter is pictured following the crash in central London on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed after a helicopter hit a crane at a building site and plunged to the ground in a ball of flames, police said. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Members of the emergency services prepare a stretcher as they attend to the scene of a helicopter crash in London, on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed when a helicopter hit a crane at a building site in central London and plunged to the ground on Wednesday, police said. -- PHOTO: AP
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Debris and a burned out car are pictured at the scene of a helicopter crash in central London, on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed when a helicopter hit a crane at a building site in central London and plunged to the ground on Wednesday, police said. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A general view of emergency vehicles as they approach the site of a helicopter crash in central London, and showing damage to a crane on the side of St. George's Tower, in background, which the helicopter is thought to have crashed into before falling to ground, on Wednesday Jan 16, 2013. A helicopter has crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on top of a building, police said. -- PHOTO: AP
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Smoke rises from debris as police and emergency services attend the scene of a helicopter crash in Vauxhall, south London on Jan 16, 2013. A helicopter crashed into a crane near a railway station in central London during the morning rush hour on Wednesday, bursting into flames and throwing plumes of smoke into the air. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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In this overhead view showing smoke and flames at the site of a helicopter crash in central London, as people gather to view the scene shortly after the incident, early on Wednesday Jan 16, 2013. Police say two people were killed when a helicopter crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on the side of St. George's Tower. This photo was taken from an adjacent building to St. George's Tower which is out of shot right, and construction workers are seen gathering below right. -- PHOTO: AP
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A general view of the scene shortly after a helicopter crashed in the Vauxhall area of central London, after hitting a crane on top of a tower block by the River Thames, according to eye witness reports, on Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
Debris lies on the ground after a helicopter crashed into a construction crane on top of St George's Wharf tower building, in London on Wednesday Jan 16, 2013. Police say two people were killed when a helicopter crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on top of a building. -- PHOTO: AP
A broken section from a crane is seen lying on the pavement in a road in Vauxhall, London on Jan 16, 2013. A helicopter crashed into a crane on top of one of Europe's tallest residential blocks in central London on Wednesday, killing two people as it burst into flames and threw plumes of smoke into the foggy air. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Debris lies on the ground after a helicopter crashed into a construction crane on top of St George's Wharf tower building, in Vauxhall south London Wednesday Jan. 16, 2013. Police say two people were killed when a helicopter crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on top of a building. -- PHOTO: AP
Debris and a burned out car are pictured at the scene of a helicopter crash in central London, on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed when a helicopter hit a crane at a building site in central London and plunged to the ground on Wednesday, police said. -- PHOTO: AFP
A damaged crane (background) that was hit by a helicopter is pictured following the crash in central London on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed after a helicopter hit a crane at a building site and plunged to the ground in a ball of flames, police said. -- PHOTO: AFP
Members of the emergency services prepare a stretcher as they attend to the scene of a helicopter crash in London, on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed when a helicopter hit a crane at a building site in central London and plunged to the ground on Wednesday, police said. -- PHOTO: AP
Debris and a burned out car are pictured at the scene of a helicopter crash in central London, on Jan 16, 2013. Two people were killed when a helicopter hit a crane at a building site in central London and plunged to the ground on Wednesday, police said. -- PHOTO: AFP
A general view of emergency vehicles as they approach the site of a helicopter crash in central London, and showing damage to a crane on the side of St. George's Tower, in background, which the helicopter is thought to have crashed into before falling to ground, on Wednesday Jan 16, 2013. A helicopter has crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on top of a building, police said. -- PHOTO: AP
Smoke rises from debris as police and emergency services attend the scene of a helicopter crash in Vauxhall, south London on Jan 16, 2013. A helicopter crashed into a crane near a railway station in central London during the morning rush hour on Wednesday, bursting into flames and throwing plumes of smoke into the air. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
In this overhead view showing smoke and flames at the site of a helicopter crash in central London, as people gather to view the scene shortly after the incident, early on Wednesday Jan 16, 2013. Police say two people were killed when a helicopter crashed during rush hour in central London after apparently hitting a construction crane on the side of St. George's Tower. This photo was taken from an adjacent building to St. George's Tower which is out of shot right, and construction workers are seen gathering below right. -- PHOTO: AP
A general view of the scene shortly after a helicopter crashed in the Vauxhall area of central London, after hitting a crane on top of a tower block by the River Thames, according to eye witness reports, on Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
Witness reports that the helicopter hit a crane atop a 50-storey residential building, the St. George Wharf Tower, were not immediately confirmed.
The Ministry of Defence said it was not a military helicopter, and a British security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak to the press said the incident was not terror-related.
London Fire Brigade said it was called at 8am to a report of a crash on Wandsworth Road on the south bank of the Thames.
“There was a flash and the helicopter plunged to the ground. It exploded and you can imagine the smoke coming out of it,” Mr Paul Ferguson, an office worker near the scene, told BBC News.
“The top of the crane was actually obscured by fog so I didn’t see the impact,” Mr Michael Gavin told the BBC. “But I heard a bang and saw the body of the helicopter falling to the ground along with pieces of the crane and then a large plume of smoke afterwards.”
Ms Erin Rogers, who was waiting at a bus stop near Vauxhall Station, said she “heard a bang and saw bits of crane debris falling to the floor.”
“Then the helicopter was in flames. The rest of the people at the bus station were looking on going, ‘What was that?’"
Police said the helicopter appeared to have hit a crane.
Early reports indicated the crane was at St. George’s Wharf, a high rise apartment complex with apartments that offer sweeping river and city views.
The area, roughly 10 blocks from the major Waterloo train and Underground station, is extremely congested during the morning rush hour. Many commuters arrive at the main line stations from London’s southern suburbs and transfer to buses or trains there.
