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| Two dead after helicopter crashes into crane during London rush hour | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two people died and nine others were injured when a helicopter crashed into a crane in central London and cartwheeled to the ground. | Two people died and nine others were injured when a helicopter crashed into a crane in central London and cartwheeled to the ground. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road and witnesses reported seeing cars on fire and hearing people screaming. | Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road and witnesses reported seeing cars on fire and hearing people screaming. |
| The Metropolitan police commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, said there were 11 casualties, with two dead, one person critically ill, and others "less seriously injured". | The Metropolitan police commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, said there were 11 casualties, with two dead, one person critically ill, and others "less seriously injured". |
| A Met police spokesman confirmed that the helicopter had come down shortly after 8am on Wednesday, adding: "Two people have been confirmed dead at the scene. Two have been taken to south London hospital. We await a condition update." | A Met police spokesman confirmed that the helicopter had come down shortly after 8am on Wednesday, adding: "Two people have been confirmed dead at the scene. Two have been taken to south London hospital. We await a condition update." |
| London fire brigade said the crash happened near Wandsworth Road in south Lambeth. | London fire brigade said the crash happened near Wandsworth Road in south Lambeth. |
| 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| The fire brigade confirmed that the crash appeared to have left the crane at the St George Wharf development "in a precarious position". | The fire brigade confirmed that the crash appeared to have left the crane at the St George Wharf development "in a precarious position". |
| 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. |
| Passersby stood watching as the wreckage burned. A motorcycle was also lying on its side in the road where it was abandoned. | 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." |
| 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. |
| The incident caused gridlock as roads were closed at the height of the rush hour. | The incident caused gridlock as roads were closed at the height of the rush hour. |
| Visibility was apparently low, with London City airport in Docklands reporting delays. The top of the tower block was obscured by mist. | Visibility was apparently low, with London City airport in Docklands reporting delays. The top of the tower block was obscured by mist. |
| 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." |
| 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. | 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." |
| 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." |
| 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. | 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. | "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." | "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. | 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." | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | "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. | "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. | Road congestion spread out from the scene of the crash, reaching Clapham, Kennington, Wandsworth, Lambeth and Battersea. |