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| Police Helicopter Crashes Into Crowded Glasgow Pub | Police Helicopter Crashes Into Crowded Glasgow Pub |
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| LONDON — Eight people were killed when a police helicopter that apparently lost power crashed through the roof of a crowded pub in Glasgow, injuring at least 30 people, police officials said Saturday. | LONDON — Eight people were killed when a police helicopter that apparently lost power crashed through the roof of a crowded pub in Glasgow, injuring at least 30 people, police officials said Saturday. |
| Three people in the helicopter died, as did five of those in the building, where a ska band was performing about 10:30 p.m. Friday when the chopper, carrying two police officers and a civilian, spun down onto the pub, the Clutha. | |
| Chief Constable Stephen House, who announced the latest casualty figures, said that of the 32 people taken to three Glasgow hospitals after the accident, 14 had suffered serious injuries and were still receiving treatment. | Chief Constable Stephen House, who announced the latest casualty figures, said that of the 32 people taken to three Glasgow hospitals after the accident, 14 had suffered serious injuries and were still receiving treatment. |
| Scotland’s first minister, Alex Salmond, said it was a “black day for Glasgow and Scotland,” and Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain described the accident as a “tragic event.” | Scotland’s first minister, Alex Salmond, said it was a “black day for Glasgow and Scotland,” and Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain described the accident as a “tragic event.” |
| The crash took place on the eve of Scotland’s national day, St. Andrew’s Day, and left the country in shock. But there was widespread praise for the reaction of Glaswegians who rushed to help get the injured clear. Mr. Salmond said Scots could take “pride and courage in how we respond to adversity and tragedy.” | The crash took place on the eve of Scotland’s national day, St. Andrew’s Day, and left the country in shock. But there was widespread praise for the reaction of Glaswegians who rushed to help get the injured clear. Mr. Salmond said Scots could take “pride and courage in how we respond to adversity and tragedy.” |
| Fraser Gibson, who was at the pub at the time of the crash, estimated that there were about 120 people inside. “It sounded like a giant explosion,” he told the BBC. “Part of the room was covered in dust. We didn’t know what had happened. We froze for a second, there was panic and then people trying to get out the door.” | Fraser Gibson, who was at the pub at the time of the crash, estimated that there were about 120 people inside. “It sounded like a giant explosion,” he told the BBC. “Part of the room was covered in dust. We didn’t know what had happened. We froze for a second, there was panic and then people trying to get out the door.” |
| At first, patrons did not understand the seriousness of the situation, said Grace MacLean, who was also inside. | At first, patrons did not understand the seriousness of the situation, said Grace MacLean, who was also inside. |
| “There was like a whoosh noise,” she said. “Then there was some smoke, what seemed like smoke, so the band were laughing and we were all joking that the band had made the roof come down, and at the time they carried on playing. Then it started to come down more and someone started screaming, and then the whole pub just filled with dust, like you couldn’t see anything, you couldn’t breathe.” | “There was like a whoosh noise,” she said. “Then there was some smoke, what seemed like smoke, so the band were laughing and we were all joking that the band had made the roof come down, and at the time they carried on playing. Then it started to come down more and someone started screaming, and then the whole pub just filled with dust, like you couldn’t see anything, you couldn’t breathe.” |
| A Labor member of Parliament, Jim Murphy, was driving nearby and saw “a pile of people clambering out of a pub, the dust, no smoke, no fire, but huge dust and people covered in dust and multiple injuries,” he said. | A Labor member of Parliament, Jim Murphy, was driving nearby and saw “a pile of people clambering out of a pub, the dust, no smoke, no fire, but huge dust and people covered in dust and multiple injuries,” he said. |
| Patrons formed a human chain to help pull others out of the pub, he said. | Patrons formed a human chain to help pull others out of the pub, he said. |
| “The helicopter was inside the pub,” Mr. Murphy told Sky News. “It’s a mess. I could only get a yard or two inside.” | “The helicopter was inside the pub,” Mr. Murphy told Sky News. “It’s a mess. I could only get a yard or two inside.” |
| “No one knew what it was, but you saw the pandemonium of people trying to get out of the pub. It was a horrific scene,” said Mr. Murphy, whose shirt had bloodstains from one of the injured as he spoke to a BBC reporter. “It was not something I have ever seen, and it is not something I ever want to see again.” | “No one knew what it was, but you saw the pandemonium of people trying to get out of the pub. It was a horrific scene,” said Mr. Murphy, whose shirt had bloodstains from one of the injured as he spoke to a BBC reporter. “It was not something I have ever seen, and it is not something I ever want to see again.” |
| The editor of The Scottish Sun, Gordon Smart, was in a parking lot nearby and heard a misfiring engine, he said. The helicopter was about 500 yards above him. | The editor of The Scottish Sun, Gordon Smart, was in a parking lot nearby and heard a misfiring engine, he said. The helicopter was about 500 yards above him. |
| “It was falling at great speed,” he said. “It looked like the rotors weren’t spinning. The helicopter was sort of turning in a strange position and dropped at great speed. But oddly enough there was no explosion, no fireball.” | “It was falling at great speed,” he said. “It looked like the rotors weren’t spinning. The helicopter was sort of turning in a strange position and dropped at great speed. But oddly enough there was no explosion, no fireball.” |
| Glasgow’s deputy chief constable, Rose Fitzpatrick, said in a statement, “We are working hard to recover people still inside the building and we will make further details available when we have them.” She said it was too early to know why the helicopter — a Eurocopter EC135 T2, with twin engines — had crashed. | Glasgow’s deputy chief constable, Rose Fitzpatrick, said in a statement, “We are working hard to recover people still inside the building and we will make further details available when we have them.” She said it was too early to know why the helicopter — a Eurocopter EC135 T2, with twin engines — had crashed. |
| The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said teams of some 125 firefighters were working to stabilize the building and safely remove those remaining inside, using sniffer dogs. The left side of the building appeared to have collapsed, and a department spokesman, Lewis Ramsay, said the building was “very unsafe.” | The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said teams of some 125 firefighters were working to stabilize the building and safely remove those remaining inside, using sniffer dogs. The left side of the building appeared to have collapsed, and a department spokesman, Lewis Ramsay, said the building was “very unsafe.” |
| The Accident Investigation Branch said it had sent a team to investigate. | The Accident Investigation Branch said it had sent a team to investigate. |
| Images of the aftermath of the crash showed wreckage from the tail of the helicopter littering the roof of the pub, one piece sticking out of a hole gashed in the building’s ceiling. | Images of the aftermath of the crash showed wreckage from the tail of the helicopter littering the roof of the pub, one piece sticking out of a hole gashed in the building’s ceiling. |
| John McGarrigle waited by the police cordon outside the pub, anxious for news about his father. “I think he was in there when it crashed,” he said. “I’ve checked every hospital and there’s no sign of him. I’m very anxious. I’m just going to stand here till I see casualties come out of the building.” | John McGarrigle waited by the police cordon outside the pub, anxious for news about his father. “I think he was in there when it crashed,” he said. “I’ve checked every hospital and there’s no sign of him. I’m very anxious. I’m just going to stand here till I see casualties come out of the building.” |