Helicopter Strikes Power Lines, Crashes into Barge in Alton, IL

Dana Rieck and Nassim Benchaabane
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
(TNS)

ST. CHARLES — Two people died Thursday morning after a helicopter struck power lines, crashed into a barge and caught fire near Alton.

The crash happened at about 11 a.m. about a mile and a half south of the Lewis and Clark Bridge, said Missouri Highway Patrol spokesman Cpl. Dallas Thompson.

Several agencies were responding, including at least four fire departments, St. Charles County police, the U.S. Coast Guard and Missouri Highway Patrol.

"We are containing the area for now until we can figure out who is handling the investigation," Thompson said.

St. Charles County spokesman Cpl. Barry Bayles confirmed two people died in the crash.

Illinois State Police said the Lewis and Clark bridge coming into Illinois will temporarily be closed due to the incident.

An employee who was working in the area at the time of the crash said crews had been out in the area recently installing a powerline that would run from a tower on the east side of the river to a tower on the west side. The employee said the helicopter was being used Wednesday to get workers to the top of the tower to work on the installation.

On Thursday, the employee said when the helicopter crashed, several workers in the area ran for cover because they were worried there might be an explosion because of chemicals on the barge.

"The guys came running in here saying it was going to explode," the employee said. "I walked out. That’s when I saw it burning."

The employee said emergency responders could only get to the crash site via boat.

By 1 p.m., smoke from the fire was no longer visible, and it appeared a power line was down in the river.

Traffic in the area was also blocked off as emergency crews responded.

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