A police helicopter crashed into a bustling pub in Glasgow, Scotland late Friday night, causing numerous casualties as emergency crews desperately raced to remove an unknown number of people trapped inside the shaky building.
Glasgow Asst. Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay said rescuers have made contact with some people still in the pub and are working hard to stabilize the building and "get people out."
There were no immediate reports of any fatalities, and the fate of the two police officers and civilian pilot onboard the Eurocopter EC135 T2 that plunged into the building was not immediately clear.
"Given an incident of this scale, we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities," said Alex Salmond, the leader of the Scottish National Party and first minister of Scotland.
Photos taken at the scene on Stockwell Street, located near the banks of the River Clyde, showed a helicopter smashed into the roof of The Clutha pub. The crash, which occurred around 10:30 p.m., appeared to cave in parts of the bar's roof.
Witnesses described a noisy, dusty scene inside the popular bar, where about 120 people were listening to a band.
Labour party spokesman Jim Murphy, who was present at the scene, helped pull people out of the pub.
"I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub," he told Sky News. "It is a horrible, horrible scene."
He added that people had formed a human chain to help pass unconscious people out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out."
Fraser Gibson, 34, who was inside the pub, described to the BBC what he said sounded like "a giant explosion."
"Part of the room was covered in dust. We didn't know what had happened. We froze for a second; there was panic and then people trying to get out the door."
He estimated that there were perhaps 120 people inside the bar at the time of the crash.
"There was no fireball and I did not hear an explosion," said Gordon Smart, editor of the Scottish edition of the Sun newspaper. "It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering."
Claire Morris, who lives near the Clutha bar, told BBC News: "We heard this bang. We didn't really know what had happened and then we heard people coming out and screaming.
"I wasn't sure whether there had been an explosion. My daughter said to me it was a helicopter that had hit the roof.
"Police are everywhere. We are just very shaken."
Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "My thoughts are with everyone affected by the helicopter crash in Glasgow — and the emergency services working tonight."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Glasgow Asst. Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay said rescuers have made contact with some people still in the pub and are working hard to stabilize the building and "get people out."
There were no immediate reports of any fatalities, and the fate of the two police officers and civilian pilot onboard the Eurocopter EC135 T2 that plunged into the building was not immediately clear.
"Given an incident of this scale, we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities," said Alex Salmond, the leader of the Scottish National Party and first minister of Scotland.
Photos taken at the scene on Stockwell Street, located near the banks of the River Clyde, showed a helicopter smashed into the roof of The Clutha pub. The crash, which occurred around 10:30 p.m., appeared to cave in parts of the bar's roof.
Witnesses described a noisy, dusty scene inside the popular bar, where about 120 people were listening to a band.
Labour party spokesman Jim Murphy, who was present at the scene, helped pull people out of the pub.
"I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub," he told Sky News. "It is a horrible, horrible scene."
He added that people had formed a human chain to help pass unconscious people out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out."
Fraser Gibson, 34, who was inside the pub, described to the BBC what he said sounded like "a giant explosion."
"Part of the room was covered in dust. We didn't know what had happened. We froze for a second; there was panic and then people trying to get out the door."
He estimated that there were perhaps 120 people inside the bar at the time of the crash.
"There was no fireball and I did not hear an explosion," said Gordon Smart, editor of the Scottish edition of the Sun newspaper. "It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering."
Claire Morris, who lives near the Clutha bar, told BBC News: "We heard this bang. We didn't really know what had happened and then we heard people coming out and screaming.
"I wasn't sure whether there had been an explosion. My daughter said to me it was a helicopter that had hit the roof.
"Police are everywhere. We are just very shaken."
Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "My thoughts are with everyone affected by the helicopter crash in Glasgow — and the emergency services working tonight."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.