A helicopter crash-landed on top of a high-rise in midtown Manhattan Monday, starting a fire and leaving one person dead as the entire building shook from the impact.
Emergency services fanned out around the 54-story building on Seventh Avenue after what was described as a “hard-landing” by a chopper that took off barely 10 minutes earlier from a heliport in the city.
The New York fire department confirmed one fatality — presumed to be the pilot, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Speaking at the scene, de Blasio said it “could have been a much worse incident.”
“There were no other injuries that we know of at this point in time to anyone in the building or on the ground,” he said: adding: “Thank God for that.”
The pilot was the only person on board the chopper, according to US aviation regulators.
“There is no indication at this time that this was an act of terror,” said de Blasio. “And there is no ongoing threat to New York City based on all the information we have right now.”
