This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/29/helicopter-crashes-roof-glasgow-pub

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Police helicopter crashes into roof of Glasgow pub Police helicopter crashes into roof of Glasgow pub
(35 minutes later)
A major rescue operation is underway in central Glasgow after a police helicopter crashed on to the roof of a pub where a music concert was taking place. A major rescue operation was under way in the centre of Glasgow after a police helicopter crashed onto the roof of a busy pub which was hosting a live music event at the time.
Initial reports suggested there were multiple injuries among Friday night revellers as a result of the incident shortly before 11pm at the Clutha pub, a bar close to the city's commercial district. Eyewitnesses described multiple injures at the scene after the helicopter hit the Clutha Vaults bar shortly before 11pm, sparking panic inside and leaving debris strewn around.
Jim Murphy, a Labour frontbench MP who was in the area at the time, said that members of the public formed a human chain to help get people out of the building. Jim Murphy, a Labour frontbench MP who was driving by the scene at the time and stopped his car to help, said that members of the public formed a human chain to help get people out of the building.
Describing the aftermath of the incident as a "horrible scene", he added that dozens of fire officers as well as police were in the area and had moved members of the public back from the area shortly afterwards. "What I saw was a pile of people clambering out of the pub, dust everywhere. People were covered in multiple injuries."
"It seems like a helicopter crashed into the roof of this very busy pub. I was passing and just got out of my car to try to help people." The MP added that the owner of the pub had said that some of his customers were still trapped inside.
He added: "What I saw was a pile of people clambering out of the pub, dust everywhere. People were covered in multiple injuries."
The MP added that the owner of the pub had said that come of his customers were still trapped inside.
"It's a major incident and looks like multiple injuries among Glasgow Friday night revellers.""It's a major incident and looks like multiple injuries among Glasgow Friday night revellers."
Pictures which emerged on Twitter shortly after the incident showed emergency services gathered around the bar, with the remains of what appeared to be a helicopter visible on the roof. Grace MacLean, who was inside the pub at the time, told the BBC: "It was fairly busy. We were having a nice time and then there was just a whoosh noise. There was no bang, no explosion."
The Police Roll of Honour Trust tweeted "Our thoughts are with the crew of policescotland SP99 helicopter that has crashed in Glasgow - hoping everyone is alright." "We were all joking that the band had caused the roof to come down. They carried on playing at first."
Wesley Shearer, a local man who said that he was attending the gig along with his mother, tweeted a picture of the scene outside of the bar, adding: "This is unbelievable. Just spent 20 minutes pulling people out the bar. Apparently a helicopter crashed on the roof." "Then it [the roof] started to come down and people were screaming. It's a real testament to the people of Glasgow, people were saying: 'there's the door, come outside'. Then people then started to come out with injuries and blood. It was only when the paramedics came out and said there's a helicopter on top that I looked up and saw the metal."
Minutes earlier, Shearer had tweeted: "Holy fucking shit. The roof in The Clutha Bar just collapsed mid gig. People have been caught under it, injuries + smoke everywhere. Fuck." Wesley Shearer, a local man attending the gig tweeted a picture of the scene outside of the bar, adding: "This is unbelievable. Just spent 20 minutes pulling people out the bar. Apparently a helicopter crashed on the roof."
A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service said: "I can confirm that we have people at the scene. It is obviously a major incident. There are numerous fire engines there; 15 fire engines at the moment along with specialist services. Minutes earlier, Shearer had tweeted: "Holy fucking shit. The roof in the Clutha bar just collapsed mid gig. People have been caught under it, injuries + smoke everywhere. Fuck."
"I cannot confirm if there have been any injuries." Gordon Smart, the editor of the Scottish Sun, told the BBC that he was on the sixth floor of a nearby multi-storey car park when he heard what sounded like a misfiring engine, before looking up and seeing the helicopter falling from the sky.
Gordon Smart, editor of the Sun's Scottish edition, told Sky News: "I was in a car park and looked up and saw a helicopter which I think was a police helicopter. He added: "It was just such a surreal moment. It looked like it was dropping from a great height at a great speed. I'm about 80% sure that it was a police helicopter.
"It was just such a surreal moment. It looked like it was dropping from a great height at a great speed. I'm about 80% sure that it was a police helicopter.
"There was no fire ball and I did not hear an explosion. It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering.""There was no fire ball and I did not hear an explosion. It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering."
Photographs taken at the scene showed what appeared to be debris containing police markings, while other images showed wreckage with fluorescent markets which resembled a helicopter used by Strathclyde Police's airport unit.
Police quickly threw up a cordon in the streets surrounding the incident, which occurred metres from the riverside in a district close to Glasgow's main shopping centre. Dozens of people who were caught up in the incident were later taken to a nearby Holiday Inn hotel.
According to their Facebook page and the Facebook page of the bar, a nine-piece Glasgow ska band called Esperanza were playing at the venue at the time of the incident.
A spokeswoman for Strathclyde fire and rescue service said: "I can confirm that we have people at the scene. It is obviously a major incident. There are numerous fire engines there; 15 fire engines at the moment along with specialist services. "I cannot confirm if there have been any injuries."
Deputy first minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Absolutely awful news about a helicopter crashing into the Clutha. All my thoughts are with everyone involved & the emergency services".Deputy first minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Absolutely awful news about a helicopter crashing into the Clutha. All my thoughts are with everyone involved & the emergency services".
Claire Morris, who lives near the Clutha bar, told BBC News: "We heard this bang. We didn't really know what had happened and then we heard people coming out and screaming.Claire Morris, who lives near the Clutha bar, told BBC News: "We heard this bang. We didn't really know what had happened and then we heard people coming out and screaming.
"I wasn't sure whether there had been an explosion. My daughter said to me it was a helicopter that had hit the roof."I wasn't sure whether there had been an explosion. My daughter said to me it was a helicopter that had hit the roof.
"Police are everywhere. We are just very shaken.""Police are everywhere. We are just very shaken."
Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "My thoughts are with everyone affected by the helicopter crash in Glasgow - and the emergency services working tonight." Scotland's first minister Alex Salmond tweeted: "The emergency services are in full operation. Our thoughts are with everyone involved. Scottish resilience operation now mobilised."
The prime minister, David Cameron, tweeted: "My thoughts are with everyone affected by the helicopter crash in Glasgow - and the emergency services working tonight."
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.