Two people are dead and another is in critical condition after a news helicopter crashed in downtown Seattle Tuesday morning.
An A-Star helicopter that was used in a joint partnership between KOMO and KING 5 news stations crashed on top of several vehicles while trying to land near the Space Needle at about 7:45 a.m. PT.
Seattle Police are advising people to stay away from the area:
https://twitter.com/seattledot/status/445941668026384384
https://twitter.com/SeattlePD/status/445943322046001152
Here are some more tweets and video from the scene:
https://twitter.com/SeattleFire/status/445938652225359872
https://twitter.com/KellyKOMO4/status/445934580281786369
https://twitter.com/caa1000/status/445946168846327808
https://twitter.com/SethonKOMO/status/445946146934910976
https://twitter.com/MHarthorneKOMO/status/445937678987431936
Story developing…
Update, 8:50 a.m.
KOMO is reporting that the helicopter was attempting to take off just before it crashed. KING5 also just spoke to an eyewitness, who said that the helicopter had landed on top of a building, hovered for a few minutes and then lost control as it crashed.
https://twitter.com/dcatchpole/status/445940614987665408
Update, 9:05 a.m.
Kyle Moore, spokesperson for the Seattle Fire Department, said that the area near Fisher Plaza will be shut down for “quite a while” as the NTSB conducts an investigation.
The two people in the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene. Another male in his car — the one in critical condition —was transported to the hospital with burns on 50 percent of his body.
There were two others in vehicles at the crash. Moore said that one female made it to a nearby police department, but another male ran away from the scene and it’s unclear where he is.
Moore noted that the only visible part of the helicopter left is the tail end, as the rest is burned.
Update, 9:35 a.m.
The Space Needle will be closed today:
https://twitter.com/space_needle/status/445956372253786112