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Helicopter crashes in central London Two dead in London rush-hour helicopter crash
(35 minutes later)
A helicopter crashed in central London during the morning rush hour. Two people died when a helicopter crashed into a crane in central London and cartwheeled to the ground.
Emergency services were called to the scene, near the river Thames at Vauxhall, after reports that the aircraft had hit a crane and cartwheeled before bursting into flames. The aircraft exploded into flames after hitting the crane, which was on top of a tower block by the river Thames, and crashing into a street during rush hour.
Smoke billowed into the sky above the area on Wednesday morning. Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road and witnesses reported seeing cars on fire and hearing people screaming.
A Metropolitan police statement said: "Police were alerted at approximately 08.00hrs on Wednesday 16 January re. an incident at Wandsworth Road SW8. The Metropolitan police confirmed that the helicopter had come down shortly after 8am on Wednesday. A police spokesman said: "Two people have been confirmed dead at the scene. We have no further details. Two have been taken to south London hospital. We await a condition update."
"At this early stage it appears a helicopter was in collision with a crane on top of a building. London fire brigade said the crash happened near Wandsworth Road in south Lambeth.
"Met officers, the ambulance service and the London Fire Brigade have attended.
"It is too early at this stage to confirm any casualties."
Fire and rescue services said they were taking "lots of emergency calls" as witnesses described seeing grey smoke towering into the sky, close to Battersea bridge.Fire and rescue services said they were taking "lots of emergency calls" as witnesses described seeing grey smoke towering into the sky, close to Battersea bridge.
A spokesman for London fire brigade was unable to give details but said: "We are taking lots of emergency calls at the moment." Some took to Twitter to report details. One said the aircraft appeared to have hit a crane on a newly-built tower block on the south bank of the Thames. It crashed close to a railway line and a branch of Sainsbury's.
Witnesses took to Twitter to report details. The fire brigade confirmed that the crash appeared to have left the crane at the St George's Wharf development "in a precarious position".
One said the helicopter appeared to have hit a crane. Video footage shot on a mobile phone showed an entire road blocked by burning wreckage and aviation fuel.
Another said it crashed close to a railway line. The side of a building on one side of the street was also damaged by the flames.
One user posted a dramatic photograph showing burning wreckage in the road. Passersby stood watching as the wreckage burned. A motorcycle was also lying on its side in the road where it was abandoned.
Commuter Sherna Noah described seeing a "large plume of dark grey smoke" as she crossed Battersea bridge at around 8am.Commuter Sherna Noah described seeing a "large plume of dark grey smoke" as she crossed Battersea bridge at around 8am.
She said: "I was coming across the bridge and basically I could see a few cyclists on the bridge looking towards the water.She said: "I was coming across the bridge and basically I could see a few cyclists on the bridge looking towards the water.
"I looked over to see what they were looking at and could see a pall of grey smoke coming from the south side."I looked over to see what they were looking at and could see a pall of grey smoke coming from the south side.
"You could see a large plume of dark grey smoke.""You could see a large plume of dark grey smoke."
A woman who answered the phone at the London Heliport, in Battersea, would not comment on the fire.A woman who answered the phone at the London Heliport, in Battersea, would not comment on the fire.
Some witnesses said the helicopter appeared to have hit a crane on a newly-built tower block on the south bank of the Thames at Vauxhall Cross. The incident caused gridlock as roads were closed at the height of the rush hour.
It is thought the helicopter may have hit two cars. There were also reports that there was one person in the helicopter. Visibility was apparently low, with London City airport in Docklands reporting delays. The top of the tower block was obscured by mist.
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. Passersby stood watching as the wreckage burned.
A motorcycle was also lying on its side in the road having been abandoned.
One witness reported seeing cars on fire and hearing people screaming.
As rush-hour traffic built up, the A3036 Wandsworth Road in Vauxhall was closed in both directions between Vauxhall Cross and the Lansdowne Way junction.
People took to Twitter to report gridlocked traffic in the area, with emergency services struggling to get through.
The First Capital Connect train company warned its passengers to expect travel difficulties in the Vauxhall area, although its services were not affected.
Flying conditions were reflected in the fact that London City airport in Docklands had delays due to poor visibility.
Paul Ferguson, who was working in an office near the incident, told BBC News: "There was a flash and the helicopter plunged to the ground. It exploded and you can imagine the smoke coming out of it.Paul Ferguson, who was working in an office near the incident, told BBC News: "There was a flash and the helicopter plunged to the ground. It exploded and you can imagine the smoke coming out of it.
"It was probably heading from the nearby heliport. It may be that on this misty morning the lights on nearby St George's Tower weren't on and it moved and clipped the edge of the crane and lost control.""It was probably heading from the nearby heliport. It may be that on this misty morning the lights on nearby St George's Tower weren't on and it moved and clipped the edge of the crane and lost control."
Witness Chris Matthison told BBC News: "There was some damage to the crane. It's possible the crane is lying across Nine Elms Road. Another witness, Chris Matthison, told BBC News: "There was some damage to the crane. It's possible the crane is lying across Nine Elms Road.
"The top of the nearest building is steeped in mist and difficult to see.""The top of the nearest building is steeped in mist and difficult to see."
He added: "I heard a very unusual dull thud, then there was silence. The silence really took my imagination. Emergency services responded very quickly."He added: "I heard a very unusual dull thud, then there was silence. The silence really took my imagination. Emergency services responded very quickly."
Transport for London said buses in the Vauxhall area were subject to diversion and delays due to the incident. People were advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes. 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, told BBC News: "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."
Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the incident. She told Sky News: "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that. I have three small children with me in the flat. It's one of your fears that something like this can happen.
"When I heard the explosion it was like a little earthquake." She added: "It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower.
"I can't see any people on the ground, it seems to be a lucky escape. The police and ambulance response was incredible."
Matt Haverson was doing construction work on railway arches near the incident. He said there was a good "pull together" with people attempting to extinguish small fires and escort other people away.
He said: "It was extremely scary … I obviously thought it was a terrorist attack."
The crane was on top of a building called the Tower, in the St George Wharf development, billed as one of Europe's tallest residential towers.
The building is only a few hundred metres from MI6 and is situated on a busy roundabout.
Michael Gavin saw the accident while he was standing at Vauxhall station.
"I was facing the building when it happened and I heard a loud bang," he told BBC News.
"The top of the crane was actually obscured by fog so I didn't see the impact. 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." Vauxhall underground station, on the Victoria line, was closed, leading to disruption to services on the line.
Road congestion spread out from the scene of the crash, reaching Clapham, Kennington, Wandsworth, Lambeth and Battersea.