A helicopter crash landed and caught on fire at the roof of a building in midtown Manhattan on Monday afternoon, according to New York authorities.
The incident occurred on top of 787 Seventh Avenue, a 54-story building known as the Axa Equitable Center. Hundreds of fire and EMS units responded to the incident.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) said the fire “has been extinguished and” and it is requesting people to avoid the area.
PRELIMINARY UPDATE: There was a helicopter hard landing on the roof of 787 7th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Fire has been extinguished. Please continue to avoid the area. https://t.co/pBvrbD1MGh
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) June 10, 2019
A Twitter user and IP Lawyer Lance Coonce posted a video of the helicopter crash. He said he heard a loud sound of of a “too-low helicopter” and saw a sheet of flame on roof and then smoke.”
787 7th ave, #midtown NYC. We’re 1 block south. 20 mins ago there was a loud sound like a too-low #helicopter & I looked up and saw sheet of flame on roof and then smoke. News reports saying helicopter/small plane crash onto roof which would be consistent with what I heard/saw. pic.twitter.com/swY3ksLskH
— Lance Koonce (@LHKoonce) June 10, 2019
Pilot killed in the helicopter crash
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) tweeted that one person was killed in the helicopter crash.
#FDNY confirms a helicopter has crash-landed onto the roof of 787 7th Ave in Manhattan. The fire has been extinguished, and members continue to operate in response to fuel leaking from the helicopter. There is currently one fatality reported.
— FDNY (@FDNY) June 10, 2019
The department’s spokesperson Myles Miller confirmed that the helicopter’s pilot is dead.
