A police helicopter has crashed and fallen onto a busy pub in Glasgow, Scotland. Few details are available about casualties but are bound to be serious and fatalities are possible. Authorities have declared a "major incident" which triggers high level response by the emergency services and puts hospital emergency rooms on standby to receive many serious injuries.
The incident happened about 22.25 GMT (almost four hours before I am writing this) in Scotland's largest city. At that time the pub would likely be at its busiest for the week. A band was playing and an estimated 120 people were in it.
Three people are reported to have been in the helicopter; two police and a civilian pilot. The Scottish First Minister has warned people must be prepared for fatalities. Very little details about the possible number of injuries or those trapped in the debris. Reports are that ambulant injured have been taken to a nearby Holiday Inn for first aid.
The BBC has a live feed. In normal circumstances hot lines are set up to give information to friends and relatives of those caught up in the incident. This will also be up on the BBC pages but only contact this if you are concerned about people you know who live or are visiting Glasgow and have been unable to contact them.
6:26 PM PT: I should emphasize that there does not seem to have been an explosion or major fire when the helicopter hit. There have also been no reports of any smell of aviation fuel - a good sign that the impact may have been comparatively light (but still enough to bring the roof down).
An interviewee on BBC News TV suggested that the pilot may have mistaken the flat, unlit roof for a car park and tried to aim for that as he cut the engine and fuel supply.
6:34 PM PT: From an email sent to the BBC and quoted by them:
"A relative of mine is a fire fighter on the scene. There are fatalities and the inside of the pub is unstable. He says there are many injuries including loss of limbs. I spoke to him about 45 minutes ago. He's inside the pub which is being cleared bit by bit. He said people are trapped but they cant "rush" in case they cause more injuries, so it is slow progress at the moment. He said there are deaths but I don't know how many, but he can see some people have been killed beneath the rubble."
6:39 PM PT: Jim Murphy MP (Labour Party spokeman on Development) is a local MP and was nearby. He helped the initial evacuation, at the pub door, before being relieved by Fire and Rescue officers. He was very shocked at the sight in an interview remarking as an aside "It's not mine" when it was pointed out he had blood on his shirt.
There will be many unsung heroes among those who first responded on what was likely a Friday night out for them.
6:48 PM PT: The Glasgow Royal Infirmary, one of the largest in Glasgow, is very close to the scene. Injured may also have been taken to the Southern General Hospital which specializes in head injuries. So far they have issued no statement about the injuries sustained by those they have received.
The Holiday Inn Express hotel is immediately opposite the pub and is being used as a staging post for the emergency services.
7:00 PM PT: Police giving initial statement outlining the details of the aircraft. Few details of the incident as "number of casualties". Full investigation already begun involving Police Scotland and the Air Accident Investigation authorities. Specialist ambulance and rescue teams on site.
Fire and Rescue chief: Firefighters in process of making building stable as is very unsafe. Difficult to tell how many trapped. Have had some contact with people inside; no details of numbers as very hard to tell. 125 firefighters on site both inside, on top and outside the pub. Injuries consistent with incident. Chief praises courage of first firefighters going into rescue with little regard for their own safety (personal note: doubly so for the members of the public who were there before them)