Helicopter crash in London kills two

LONDON -- A helicopter crashed into a crane on top of one of Europe's tallest residential blocks yesterday, killing two people as it burst into flames and spiraled down into rush-hour traffic close to the Houses of Parliament.

Police said there was nothing to suggest a terrorism link to the crash on a foggy morning on the south bank of the River Thames, less than a mile from Parliament, its secret services headquarters and the site of a new U.S. embassy.

"There was a big bang and bits started showering down, then there was an explosion down the road," said truck driver Ray Watts whose vehicle was hit by falling debris. "We saw the fireball down there and the smoke. We didn't know what way to run because there were bits coming down everywhere."

Witnesses said the helicopter hit a crane on top of the as-yet-unoccupied 200-yards-high cylindrical block, The Tower, One St George Wharf, spun out of control, fell to the ground and burst into flames, setting nearby buildings alight.

Wreckage was strewn across roads close to Vauxhall train station, a major transport hub near the south bank of the Thames.

The pilot, Peter Barnes, 50, was killed. There were no passengers, the police said. Matthew Wood, 39, was found dead near the wreckage. Five others were taken to hospital for minor injuries and seven were treated at the scene.

The metropolitan police later confirmed it was a scheduled commercial flight.

Prime Minister David Cameron said later that helicopter flights over a city with an increasing number of huge skyscrapers needed to be carefully examined.