A helicopter crashed in central London after hitting a crane on top of a tower block by the River Thames. The stricken aircraft cartwheeled to the ground and exploded into flames before crashing into a street during the rush hour. Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road as eyewitnesses reported seeing cars on fire and hearing people screaming. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the helicopter had come down. London Fire Brigade said the crash happened near Wandsworth Road in South Lambeth. Video footage shot on a mobile phone showed an entire road blocked by burning wreckage and aviation fuel. The side of a building on one side of the street was also damaged by the flames. Passers-by stood watching as the wreckage burned. A motorcycle was also lying on its side in the road having been abandoned. One eyewitness reported seeing cars on fire and hearing people screaming. Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the incident. She told Sky News: "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that. I have three small children with me in the flat. It's one of your fears that something like this can happen. When I heard the explosion - it was like a little earthquake." She went on: "It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower." She added: "I can't see any people on the ground, it seems to be a lucky escape. The police and ambulance response was incredible." | 
