2 Killed, One Critically Injured When Helicopter Crashes Near Space Needle
Two people were killed and another was critically injured after a news helicopter fell from the sky and crashed near Seattle’s iconic Space Needle Tuesday morning.
According to KOMO, it was the KOMO news helicopter involved in the crash. Upon its take-off, the helicopter crashed and burned. They identified the persons involved in the crash as being photojournalist Bill Strothman, who was a former KOMO employee that was working with the helicopter leasing company. The other person is pilot Gary Pftzner who worked for the helicopter company.
The critically injured person has not been identified but is described as being in his late 30s. According to witnesses, he got out of a red vehicle that had caught fire – his t-shirt was on fire and his head was bleeding. He was transported to Harborview Medical Center with burns over 50 percent of his body and in critical condition. The witnesses said the man himself may have decreased his injuries by stopping, dropping and rolling in the grass.
After the helicopter crashed, its fuel leaked into the street, catching fire, and created a line of flames. Two vehicles were on fire because of the crash, although it’s not known if the result was due to a direct hit.
According to Kyle Moore, a Seattle Fire Department spokesman, said there are no indicators the helicopter struck a building, adding to the mystery as to why the crash happens. Moore said terrorism doesn’t look to be the reason for the crash.
Moore said approximately 50 emergency vehicles responded to the incident because initial reports said people believed the helicopter had struck the Space Needle or building. When firefighters got to the crash scene, the black smoke was so thick they could not see the helicopter.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is being done by the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration, with the investigation taking between three and five days to complete.
Moore said the area around the crash site would possibly stay closed until Wednesday.
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