Streets were closed near Times Square, New York City, after a helicopter crashed into a high-rise building on 7th Avenue, causing a fire to break out yesterday.
The city Fire Department said the pilot died and people were warned to stay away from the area, in Midtown Manhattan.
The crash happened at the AXA Equitable Center, near Times Square and the Empire State Building.
Video footage shows the helicopter flying erratically just before the crash, at around 2pm local time, in poor visibility. The weather in New York was wet and cloudy.
The fire was brought under control,
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told reporters. Authorities say there is no indication the crash was terror-related and it is believed the pilot, volunteer fire department chief Tim McCormack, had tried to conduct a forced emergency landing.
It is understood the helicopter, which belonged to real estate firm American Continental Properties, had been engaged in ‘executive travel’. Last month, a helicopter crashed in New York’s Hudson River, and five people were killed last year when a sightseeing helicopter crashed in the East River.
