A Broward County, Florida, sheriff’s fire rescue helicopter crashed Monday morning, sending four people to the hospital, including two crew members and two people from an apartment complex where it came down, authorities said.
All four are in fair condition, according to Veda Coleman-Wright, director of public information for the Broward County Sheriff Office.
The crash occurred near an airfield just north of Fort Lauderdale as the helicopter was on its way to an emergency call, authorities said.
“At approximately 8:46 a.m., emergency personnel responded to a call of an aircraft alert located southwest of the Pompano Beach Airpark. The helicopter involved in the crash is a BSO Fire Rescue helicopter. Pompano Beach Fire Rescue transported two people to an area hospital,” the Broward County Sheriff’s department said in a news release.
Just before it crashed, the aircraft was smoking and on fire near the rear, video posted to CNN affiliate WPLG appeared to show.
The NTSB has confirmed it is en route to help investigate the incident.