A helicopter crash in Houston, Texas, United States, has…has claimed the lives of four people, including a child, on Sunday.
The crash also destroyed a radio transmission tower, according to authorities.
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said the private helicopter “either struck a cable or actually struck the tower,” causing the deadly accident. Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured.
Videos from CCTV cameras and television footage showed the helicopter approaching the tower before bursting into flames. Burning debris was scattered on the ground at the crash site.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the crash occurred near a residential area and close to a butane tank, which could have caused a bigger disaster.
“We are fortunate that it wasn’t worse,” Mayor Whitmire stated. He also mentioned that firefighters quickly responded to a loud explosion and saw a “fireball” in the air.
The helicopter had taken off from an airfield about 18 miles (30 kilometers) away from the crash site. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Houston, the fourth-largest city in the U.S., has a population of 2.3 million people.
