A helicopter burst into flames in Houston on Sunday night after colliding with a radio tower, killing four people on board, including a child, according to fire officials. The harrowing crash took place in Houston's Second Ward near Engelke Street and North Ennis Street shortly before 8 pm on Sunday, causing the tower to collapse, as reported by Mayor John Whitmire.
Whitmire said that the helicopter took off from Ellington Airport on Sunday evening, but unclear where it was heading. Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said that the privately owned tour helicopter carried at least four people, including a child, and that the crash is considered to be an 'accident.'
Chopper Hit Radio Tower Straight
Authorities have made a somber appeal to local residents, urging them to search for any debris from the helicopter as well as human remains when they wake up in the morning. Diaz said that the identities of the victims cannot be released until their families have been informed.
He also indicated that the investigation is expected to be lengthy and will involve several agencies because of its scale.
"It will be a large investigation because of the expanse of the accident," he said.
Officials announced that both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct investigations.
Authorities report that it seems no one on the ground was injured or killed in the incident.
Rescue Operations On, Investigation Ongoing
Whitmire estimates that the cleanup process will take several days, and the area has been cordoned off from the public.
"This is a tragic event tonight, it's a tragic loss of life," Whitmire added.
"We saw this bright light flying toward the church," said Marco Perez, who was at an outdoor concert nearby.
"That light turned into an orange red fireball," he told the Houston Chronicle.
Perez and his grandson said that the metal debris that landed on the ground looked like 'spaghetti.'
The fire, which scorched roughly 100 to 200 yards of grass in the surrounding area, was extinguished by around 9:30 PM local time, although some homes nearby were still without power, according to CNN.
