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| London helicopter crash: Two die in Vauxhall crane accident | London helicopter crash: Two die in Vauxhall crane accident |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two people have been killed and nine injured when a helicopter crashed into a crane in central London in misty conditions. | Two people have been killed and nine injured when a helicopter crashed into a crane in central London in misty conditions. |
| Police said it appeared the helicopter had hit the crane on top of The Tower, One St George Wharf at about 08:00 GMT. | Police said it appeared the helicopter had hit the crane on top of The Tower, One St George Wharf at about 08:00 GMT. |
| About 90 firefighters are at the scene near Wandsworth Road in South Lambeth. Doctors said one of the dead was in the helicopter and the other on the ground. | |
| A man was rescued from a burning car by firefighters. | A man was rescued from a burning car by firefighters. |
| Burning wreckage lay in the road but the fire was brought under control within 25 minutes, the fire brigade said. | |
| Four people, one of them critically ill, were taken to hospital. Five others were treated at the scene. | Four people, one of them critically ill, were taken to hospital. Five others were treated at the scene. |
| Part of the crane was left hanging from the side of the building. | |
| 'Enormous bang' | 'Enormous bang' |
| The incident caused gridlock with all approaches to the Vauxhall Cross one way system closed at the height of the rush hour and Vauxhall Tube station and railway station closed, though the stations have since reopened. | |
| London Fire Brigade said more than 50 other firefighters were at St George's Wharf to secure the damaged crane. | |
| Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "We believe there are 11 casualties, two fatalities and nine less seriously injured but one is critically ill. People are presenting themselves to different places." | Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "We believe there are 11 casualties, two fatalities and nine less seriously injured but one is critically ill. People are presenting themselves to different places." |
| He said it was too early to draw substantive conclusions but he believed the helicopter had been diverted to the Battersea heliport, and had not been due to go there. | |
| The heliport has now been closed. | |
| Fire brigade station manager Bruce Grain said crews arrived at the scene in four minutes. | |
| He said the helicopter crashed into Wandsworth Road hitting various vehicles and bursting into flames and there were also fires in nearby buildings. | He said the helicopter crashed into Wandsworth Road hitting various vehicles and bursting into flames and there were also fires in nearby buildings. |
| He said the fire was under control within 25 minutes but crews would probably be at the scene for the rest of the day damping down. | He said the fire was under control within 25 minutes but crews would probably be at the scene for the rest of the day damping down. |
| Vauxhall bus station is always busy. It's a hub where people can connect with the Underground and rail services. Helicopters flying along the river are a common sight. | Vauxhall bus station is always busy. It's a hub where people can connect with the Underground and rail services. Helicopters flying along the river are a common sight. |
| This morning the rush hour was confused as well as crowded. In the aftermath of the crash, bus and other traffic had been held back on the Wandsworth Road. | This morning the rush hour was confused as well as crowded. In the aftermath of the crash, bus and other traffic had been held back on the Wandsworth Road. |
| It wasn't long before there were tailbacks. The journey wasn't any easier on foot. Pedestrians were directed away from the main road and pavements running along the Nine Elms Sainsbury's supermarket and on to side streets. | It wasn't long before there were tailbacks. The journey wasn't any easier on foot. Pedestrians were directed away from the main road and pavements running along the Nine Elms Sainsbury's supermarket and on to side streets. |
| By the time I arrived at Vauxhall bus station the police were starting to tape off many of the approach roads as well. You could still smell the smoke and it was difficult to see the top of the tower and the damaged crane. | By the time I arrived at Vauxhall bus station the police were starting to tape off many of the approach roads as well. You could still smell the smoke and it was difficult to see the top of the tower and the damaged crane. |
| Commuters mingled with large groups of construction workers - the crowd took time to move despite the efforts of police community support officers and bus station staff. | Commuters mingled with large groups of construction workers - the crowd took time to move despite the efforts of police community support officers and bus station staff. |
| NATS, which runs air traffic control across the UK, said the helicopter pilot had been receiving assistance earlier in the journey but not at the time of the crash. | |
| The incident will be subject to an investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Branch. | |
| A lifeboat searched the Thames after a request from London Heliport at Battersea which had lost contact with one of its aircraft, an RNLI spokesman said, but the search was later called off. | A lifeboat searched the Thames after a request from London Heliport at Battersea which had lost contact with one of its aircraft, an RNLI spokesman said, but the search was later called off. |
| Video footage shot on a mobile phone showed an entire road blocked by burning wreckage and aviation fuel. | Video footage shot on a mobile phone showed an entire road blocked by burning wreckage and aviation fuel. |
| The side of a building on one side of the street was also damaged by the flames. | The side of a building on one side of the street was also damaged by the flames. |
| Passers-by stood watching as the wreckage burned. A motorcycle was also lying on its side in the road where it was abandoned. | Passers-by stood watching as the wreckage burned. A motorcycle was also lying on its side in the road where it was abandoned. |
| Mark Osbourne, from Metropolis Motorcycles, a bike shop near the scene, said he ran to try and help the injured. | Mark Osbourne, from Metropolis Motorcycles, a bike shop near the scene, said he ran to try and help the injured. |
| "There was lots of wreckage and fire," he said. | "There was lots of wreckage and fire," he said. |
| "I saw a woman on a motorcycle that must have missed the carnage by six feet. | "I saw a woman on a motorcycle that must have missed the carnage by six feet. |
| "It felt like a war movie, it was surreal. | "It felt like a war movie, it was surreal. |
| "The police arrived within minutes so the response was excellent." | "The police arrived within minutes so the response was excellent." |
| 'Clouds of smoke' | 'Clouds of smoke' |
| Craig Dunne, who was walking to work at the time of the accident, said: "When I got to the end of the road there was a massive explosion and the crane is obviously in pieces. | Craig Dunne, who was walking to work at the time of the accident, said: "When I got to the end of the road there was a massive explosion and the crane is obviously in pieces. |
| "And I looked to the left-hand side and there were cars - three cars on fire - people screaming shouting and hollering, and the next thing I know there are police, ambulances and everything everywhere and people going crazy. Its madness - absolute madness." | "And I looked to the left-hand side and there were cars - three cars on fire - people screaming shouting and hollering, and the next thing I know there are police, ambulances and everything everywhere and people going crazy. Its madness - absolute madness." |
| Ex-BBC producer Paul Ferguson said the helicopter "plummeted straight into the ground". | Ex-BBC producer Paul Ferguson said the helicopter "plummeted straight into the ground". |
| He said: "The building the helicopter hit is shrouded in mist." | He said: "The building the helicopter hit is shrouded in mist." |
| He said the crane at the top of the building was now hanging down the side of the building. | He said the crane at the top of the building was now hanging down the side of the building. |
| Market worker Andrew Ross said: "I heard a loud bang and I saw this helicopter falling out of the sky. | |
| "(There was) an orange glow and lots of smoke coming up. | |
| "It was flying below cloud cover - it was still foggy and a little bit dark." | |
| Michael Gavin, who was waiting for a train on a platform at Vauxhall station, said: "I heard the bang - the top of the crane was obscured by the fog so I did not see the impact but I did see the helicopter falling to the ground along with pieces of the crane, then the long plume of smoke from there. | |
| "It was really quite shocking. There was a group of us on the platform waiting, we could not see where it hit because it was blocked by a wall at the end of the station. | |
| "There were a lot of worried people around." | |
| Nicky Morgan, MP for Loughborough, witnessed the crash. | Nicky Morgan, MP for Loughborough, witnessed the crash. |
| "I was walking towards Vauxhall Tube station from Lambeth Palace area where I have a flat," she said. | "I was walking towards Vauxhall Tube station from Lambeth Palace area where I have a flat," she said. |
| "There was suddenly an enormous bang - I thought something exploded. | "There was suddenly an enormous bang - I thought something exploded. |
| "It was coming from beyond Vauxhall tube station. | "It was coming from beyond Vauxhall tube station. |
| "Then clouds and clouds of black smoke. | "Then clouds and clouds of black smoke. |
| "I presumed what it was I heard was the crane collapsing or the helicopter crashing into it. | "I presumed what it was I heard was the crane collapsing or the helicopter crashing into it. |
| "I heard the bang then saw the clouds of smoke but there was too much in the way to see much at that point." | "I heard the bang then saw the clouds of smoke but there was too much in the way to see much at that point." |
| Quinn Murray was cycling when he saw the crash. | Quinn Murray was cycling when he saw the crash. |
| He said: "I saw the helicopter hit the top of the crane and come down just to the left of the station. | He said: "I saw the helicopter hit the top of the crane and come down just to the left of the station. |
| "There was quite a large amount of fire and a huge smoke cloud. It wasn't on the road, but into a building site where they are building the new Nine Elms area." | "There was quite a large amount of fire and a huge smoke cloud. It wasn't on the road, but into a building site where they are building the new Nine Elms area." |
| Another witness Chris Matthison said: "The top of the nearest building is steeped in mist and difficult to see. | |
| "I heard a very unusual dull thud, then there was silence. The silence really took my imagination. Emergency services responded very quickly." | "I heard a very unusual dull thud, then there was silence. The silence really took my imagination. Emergency services responded very quickly." |
| CLICKABLE | |
| Damaged crane | |
| Wandsworth Road | |
| Vauxhall | |
Damaged crane | |
| The helicopter hit a crane near St George Wharf Tower. The building was shrouded in mist. | |
Wandsworth Road | |
| The helicopter crashed on Wandsworth Road close to New Covent Garden Flower market. Two people have been killed and nine others injured, police report. | |
Vauxhall | |
| This image captured by Victor Jimenez near Vauxhall Station showed a pall of smoke rising above the crash site just after 8:00 am. | |
| Erin Rogers, who was waiting at a bus stop outside Vauxhall station, said: "It was a bit surreal actually. I just had a coffee in my hand, I looked up, heard a bang and saw bits of crane debris falling to the floor. | Erin Rogers, who was waiting at a bus stop outside Vauxhall station, said: "It was a bit surreal actually. I just had a coffee in my hand, I looked up, 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?'. | "Then the helicopter was in flames. The rest of the people at the bus station were looking on going 'What was that?'. |
| "It's something I will never forget for a long time." | "It's something I will never forget for a long time." |
| Kate Hoey, Labour MP for Vauxhall, said: "My initial thought was that it might have hit one of the many densely populated tall buildings. To hear it had hit the crane was a relief in some way. | Kate Hoey, Labour MP for Vauxhall, said: "My initial thought was that it might have hit one of the many densely populated tall buildings. To hear it had hit the crane was a relief in some way. |
| "Police said to me that their first fear was it was the police helicopter, however, it had been grounded because of the weather." | "Police said to me that their first fear was it was the police helicopter, however, it had been grounded because of the weather." |
| She told the BBC the rapid increase in the number of tall buildings in London meant more rigorous controls over who can fly where may be needed. | |
| She said there was no reason why there should not be a debate about why so many helicopters are allowed to fly over central London. | |
| The Met told the BBC there was no suggestion the incident was linked to terrorism. | The Met told the BBC there was no suggestion the incident was linked to terrorism. |
| Are you in Vauxhall? Did you see the crash? Please send through your experiences, and any pictures and videos you may have captured | Are you in Vauxhall? Did you see the crash? Please send through your experiences, and any pictures and videos you may have captured |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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