Police helicopter crashes into roof of Glasgow pub

A police helicopter has crashed into the roof of a Glasgow pub.

A helicopter has crashed into the roof of a Glasgow pub.

The UK Labour party’s international development spokesman Jim Murphy tweeted: “Terrible here in Glasgow Helicopter crashed into roof of pub”

Terrible here in Glasgow
Helicopter crashed into roof of pub

— Jim Murphy (@glasgowmurphy) November 29, 2013

The bar was the Clutha bar, on the banks of the Clyde.

Tweets and photographs posted from the scene appeared to verify the incident, although the full extent of the damage remains unclear.

Mr Murphy told the BBC: ``It's a well established Glasgow pub. It's a horrible horrible scene, but well done to the folk who were here. Everyone formed a chain of people from inside the pub to outside, and the fire brigade and everyone were here very quickly.''

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service said: ``I can confirm that we have people at the scene.

“It is obviously a major incident. There are numerous fire engines there; 15 fire engines at the moment along with specialist services.

“I cannot confirm if there have been any injuries.”

Gordon Smart, editor of the Sun’s Scottish edition, told Sky News: “I was in a car park and looked up and saw a helicopter which I think was a police helicopter.

“It was just such a surreal moment. It looked like it was dropping from a great height at a great speed. I’m about 80% sure that it was a police helicopter.

“There was no fire ball and I did not hear an explosion. It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering.”

Omg.. Scary scenes over road #crash #helicopter #Glasgow pic.twitter.com/wNWC8FH5ct

— JanHollands (@Janney_h) November 29, 2013

Mr Murphy told BBC News: ``I got out of my car and just tried to help people.

“I saw a pile of people clammering out of the pub in the dust. No smoke, no fire, just a huge amount of dust.”

Deputy First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “Absolutely awful news about a helicopter crashing into the Clutha. All my thoughts are with everyone involved & the emergency services”.

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.”

She added the pub was very popular and would have been busy on a Friday night.

Ms Morris added she thought a police helicopter was involved in the crash.

One image of the crash on social media sites showed the dark blue helicopter on the roof with yellow “POLICE” insignia on part of the wreckage.

Photo aired on Sky News: Word "Police" shown on helicopter that crashed into Glasgow pub - pic.twitter.com/chaN873L6c

— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) November 29, 2013

Mr Murphy told Sky News people formed a human chain to help pass unconscious people out of the pub so that “inch by inch, we could get the people out”.

He said: “I think the building’s only about 18ft, 20ft, tall so part of the helicopter is sticking out, but most of the helicopter is in the building.”