A helicopter crashed Sunday in Houston after hitting a radio tower, killing four people on board, including a child, firefighters said.
The accident took place in Houston’s 2nd Ward, near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street, just before 8 p.m. Sunday, toppling the tower, according to Mayor John Whitmire.
Whitmire said the plane left Ellington Airport Sunday night, although it was unclear where it was headed.
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said four people were on the privately owned helicopter and the crash is believed to be an “accident.”
Authorities have made a somber plea to nearby residents, asking them to look for parts of downed helicopters and human remains when they wake up in the morning.
Several people have died, including a child, after a shocking accident in Houston where a helicopter crashed into a communications tower.
The accident took place in Houston’s 2nd Ward, near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street, just before 8 p.m. Sunday, toppling the tower, according to Mayor John Whitmire.
“It will be an extensive investigation due to 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 recover from the accident. The place has been blocked to the public.
“This is a tragic event tonight, this is a tragic loss of life,” Whitmire added.
He added that the entire city is lucky that the accident was not worse, since there is a butane tank nearby.
The fire, which burned between 100 and 200 meters of grass in the immediate area, was extinguished around 9:30 p.m. local time, although some homes in the area remained without power, according to cnn.
This is a developing story.