A news helicopter crashed in downtown Seattle Tuesday morning, killing two aboard and injuring one on the ground, officials said.
The chopper, operated by local television network KOMO, an ABC affiliate, and also used by KING5, an NBC affiliate, went down near Seattle's Space Needle at about 7:40 a.m. PT. Photos showed a fire and large plumes of smoke where it crashed.
Officials didn't know what caused the crash.
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At least three cars were set ablaze, the Seattle Fire Department said. Paramedics took a 37-year-old man, who managed to pull himself out of a car, to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.
Three people were on board the helicopter, which was taking off from a downtown helipad when it crashed and burned, according to the FAA. The condition of the third person was not immediately known.
The crash happened in the 400 block of Broad Street, next to Fisher Plaza, where KOMO is based. The weather was cloudy with winds of about 7 mph at the time.
Seattle resident Ryan Kirk, who works three blocks from the Space Needle, was walking to a nearby coffee shop Tuesday morning when he heard a loud noise.
"I saw black smoke coming up right by the Space Needle, like the Space Needle was on fire," he said. "I knew it was something serious."
He walked closer to find out what had happened, and was overwhelmed by the smell of burning rubber.
"You almost had to cover your face," he said. "There was helicopter debris everywhere."
Eric Lundberg, of Graham, Wash., was working on a construction site across the street from the crash scene when the helicopter went down. He described a panicked scene.
"I was on the sixth floor and I heard the crash. I ran to the window, saw flames go up and people scatter. People at the job site next door were running to the evacuation site," Lundberg said. "The flames go up, and people run for their lives."
Witnesses said police arrived quickly, within perhaps 90 seconds.
Reporting from the scene, KING5's Greg Copeland said officials had dumped a large amount of sand on the ground to soak up fuel from the crashed aircraft.
The Seattle Police Department warned residents to say away from the area, tweeting that the investigation "will continue for many hours."
Investigators from the FAA and the NTSB were en route, police said.
The Space Needle and its restaurant, SkyCity, closed for the remainder of the day.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred near the Space Needle today," read a message on the Space Needle's Facebook page. "Our condolences go out to KOMO News, our community and those affected by this event."
First published March 18 2014, 8:06 AM