Helicopter explodes on streets of Santiago (video)
A helicopter has exploded into a fireball after being hit by a fire engine at the scene of a car crash in Santiago, Chile.
The chopper had landed on the street and was waiting to transport the wounded to hospital.
But the pilot himself was left seriously injured after a fire truck hit one of the helicopter's rotors, causing it to spin out of control before bursting into flames.
The incident occurred on 30 November, according to the Daily Telegraph.
According to the NY Daily News, the helicopter had arrived to attend a crash scene in which a police patrol car with three officers inside had been hit by another vehicle driven by a drunk driver.
According to the Daily Mail, the pilot of the helicopter, Captain Mario Esperidon Arce, is badly injured and suffering from multiple fractures, and another injured officer was taken to hospital with him.
Police spokesman Christian Fuenzalida said: "Everything had been under control until the fire truck clipped the helicopter, and then it all just went crazy."
The two officers injured by the helicopter explosion, including the pilot, and the three officers injured by the drunk driver were all taken to hospital by ambulance, added the paper.
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