One Dead in Houston TV News Helicopter Crash

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Friday November 17 12:33 AM ET One Dead in Houston TV News Helicopter Crash

HOUSTON (Reuters) - At least one person died on Thursday night when a television news helicopter crashed into a building in Houston and erupted into flames, officials said.

The chopper, which belonged to a Fox Network station, KRIV TV, in Houston, was flying under low clouds when it hit a business located in an old house in a residential neighborhood, said Houston Fire Department spokesman Rick Flanagan.

``We have confirmed one fatality. The helicopter had made contact with a business and there's a tremendous amount of damage,'' he told reporters.

Flanagan said rescue workers were searching the building, but that it was unlikely that anyone was inside since the crash occurred at about 10 p.m. CST.

Denise Davis, a reporter for Fox Network's Channel 26 in Houston, said in an on-air report that the helicopter had crashed and the pilot, whose name was not yet released, had died. There was no one else on board, she said.

``It is our helicopter...our pilot is dead at the scene,'' Davis told viewers.

Witnesses said they heard the helicopter as it came down, clipped powerlines and crashed.

``It sounded like a Harley going by,'' said witness Paul Hotze.

Flanagan said the cause of the crash was still under investigation. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001117/ts/crash_helicopter_dc_1.html

-- Carl Jenkins (somewherepress@aol.com), November 17, 2000


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