Deadly military helicopter crash in Texas kills 2, sparks wildfire and forces evacuations: officials

Two radical were killed Wednesday erstwhile a Fort Hood AH-64 Apache onslaught chopper violently crashed into a tract successful Central Texas, sparking a wildfire that forced evacuations and sent exigency crews racing to the scene, authorities said.

Bell County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Cliff Coleman said authorities received the telephone astir the clang astatine astir 1:34 p.m.

The chopper went down successful a tract southbound of Salado, astir 30 minutes from Fort Hood. KWTX reported the clang occurred disconnected Dove Hollow Lane.

PILOT EJECTS AS F-35 CRASHES AT MCAS MIRAMAR, SPARKING FIRE

A firefighting chopper responds to a wildfire sparked by a deadly subject chopper clang adjacent Salado, Texas. (KDTX)

Coleman described the clang arsenic convulsive and confirmed 2 radical were killed. No 1 other was injured.

Coleman identified the craft arsenic an Apache chopper and initially said it was believed to beryllium from Fort Hood, but deferred to subject officials for confirmation.

Fort Hood aboriginal confirmed the craft was an AH-64 Apache onslaught chopper based astatine the installation. The identities of the 2 radical killed person not been released.

Local exigency services, subject responders and instrumentality enforcement were actively responding to the scene, Fort Hood said successful a statement.

COAST GUARD HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING ALASKA TRAINING MISSION, INJURING FOUR CREW MEMBERS

A firefighting chopper responds adjacent the country of a deadly Apache subject chopper clang southbound of Salado, Texas. (KDTX)

"Our contiguous precedence is securing the tract and supporting the archetypal effect efforts," Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general, said. "Our thoughts are with the unit and their families arsenic we await further information."

Fort Hood called the clang an ongoing and processing concern and said further accusation would beryllium released arsenic it becomes available.

The clang sparked a wildfire, prompting a ample exigency response, roadworthy closures and evacuations.

Coleman said the occurrence remained uncontrolled arsenic of 4 p.m. ET and that immoderate residents had been evacuated due to the fact that of the flames. KWTX reported that Farm to Market Road 2843 was unopen down adjacent the clang site.

TEXAS CESSNA PLANE CRASH KILLS 5; NTSB INVESTIGATING

A constabulary conveyance sits adjacent a burned tract aft a subject chopper clang sparked a wildfire southbound of Salado, Texas. (KDTX)

Salado Fire/Bell County ESD #1 said crews were battling a "major writer fire" on FM 2843 and warned the nationalist that the roadway was impassable successful the affected area.

"Please debar the roadway and take an alternate route," the section said successful a nationalist information alert. "This volition assistance support postulation wide for responding occurrence and exigency personnel."

The section besides urged drivers not to effort to question done the country oregon astir exigency vehicles.

Coleman said Fort Hood is starring the probe into the crash. The origin has not been released.

Abhiram Garapati, a Republican legislature campaigner successful Texas, offered prayers for those progressive successful the clang and the archetypal responders astatine the scene.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"My prayers are with those aboard, the archetypal responders responding to the scene, and immoderate individuals affected by the occurrence that began arsenic a effect of the crash," Garapati wrote connected Facebook.

Fort Hood has not yet released the identities of the unit oregon further details astir the circumstances starring up to the crash.

This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.