One dead as helicopter crashes into building in midtown Manhattan

Copyright FDNY- Abellan Matamoros, Cristina

By Cristina Abellan Matamoros with AP

Published on 10/06/2019 - 20:19•Updated 11/06/2019 - 07:37

New York Fire Department says a helicopter crashed into a building in midtown Manhattan.

New York Fire Department said on Twitter that a helicopter crashed onto the roof of a building in midtown Manhattan on Monday, killing the pilot on board.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said on Twitter that the helicopter made a hard landing onto the roof of the AXA Equitable building on Seventh Avenue at approximately 2pm local time, which resulted in a fire that has been extinguished.

A FDNY spokesman confirmed the death of the pilot and added that no other person was on board the helicopter.

Governor Andrew Cuomo told reporters that the building shook from the impact, and a fire began when the aircraft hit the skyscraper but that it was under control. He added that there were no reports of injuries inside the building.

Firefighters and police were at the scene investigating the crash.

Police have asked people to avoid the area between West 51th and 7th Avenue due to the ongoing police investigation.

“If you’re a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, right, from 9/11. And I remember that morning all too well. So as soon as you hear an aircraft hit a building, I think my mind goes where every New Yorker’s mind goes,” Cuomo said.

No obvious damage can be seen on the skyscraper, which is about 750 feet (229 meters) tall.

New York's fire department said that had managed to stop fuel from the helicopter leaking out.

The scene is close iconic and busy locations such as to Times Square and Central Park.

Morgan Aries, who works at the 54-story building, said she could feel the helicopter crash at her desk on the 14th floor.

"Everyone felt their chairs shake a bit and everyone thought it was odd. That sounded like it could be something," she told NBC News on Monday.

The stairwell traffic jam added another level of anxiety to the evacuation.

"I was calm, but as we were exiting, everyone was a little nervous," Aires said. "There were definitely people who were a little anxious because there were a lot of people in the stairwell."

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