A news helicopter crashed and burnt in downtown Seattle near the Space Needle on Tuesday, killing a pilot and a photographer on board and setting three cars on fire in the popular tourist area, according to officials.
The chopper appeared to have fallen to the street as it attempted to take off from a helipad at the top of a television news station, Seattle Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore told reporters. Witnesses reported an “unusual noise” coming from the helicopter during its departure.
Two people were found dead in the wreckage of the helicopter when emergency responders arrived at the scene, while the occupants of three vehicles that caught fire managed to escape, Moore said. One person was still in critical condition.
