Transcript: Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner O’Neill, Commissioner Nigro Give Update on Midtown Helicopter Crash

June 10, 2019

Mayor Bill de Blasio: We had a very strange and a very troubling incident this afternoon here in Manhattan. A helicopter crashed into a building here. I want to say the most important thing first – there is no indication at this time that this was an act of terror and there is no ongoing threat to New York City based on all the information we have right now. I have checked in with the Fire Department, Police Department, and Buildings Department – there is no danger of any kind to New Yorkers at this point. And what I’m going to tell you and what my colleagues are going to tell you is all preliminary information. I’m going to emphasize to everyone, a full investigation is going on but we have only preliminary information at this point in time.

But what we do know is that one person died in this helicopter crash. That person is presumed to be the pilot but we are still waiting for absolute confirmation of that fact. There does not appear to have been any passenger in the helicopter but again we’re waiting for absolute confirmation of that fact. We do not know the cause of this incident. I’m sure you’re going to all want to ask that. We do not know the cause. But again, we have no indication that there was any terror nexus here.

There were no other injuries that we know of at this point in time to anyone in the building or on the ground. And I want to just say, thank God for that. This could have been a much worse incident, and thank God no other people were injured in this absolutely shocking, stunning incident.

I want to lastly say that the first responders performed an extraordinary effort. I want to thank the Fire Department, Police Department, everyone, all – the Buildings Department – all the agencies that responded here – OEM – everybody. This was a very challenging situation. You’re going to from the Commissioner – a fire on the roof that had to be dealt with immediately. The FDNY did an exceptional job in addressing the situation and ensuring that everyone would be safe. With that I want to turn to our Fire Commissioner, Dan Nigro.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro: [Inaudible] at 1:43 pm this afternoon we received a call through 9-1-1 that this helicopter had crashed on the roof of this building. Members – our units, local units responded in a little over four minutes. Members of the Fire Department, members of the Police Department made their way to the roof. We were able to put water on the fire quite quickly. Unfortunately, we did find a victim with the helicopter who, as the Mayor stated, we presume was the pilot. That is the only victim of this crash.

The fire has been extinguished. There was a – some amount of fuel leaked which we have mitigated. And right now the building is safe. We haven’t reoccupied it. The building management had begun a complete evacuation of the building and that was ongoing as we arrived. And members of the Fire Department, Police Department will remain on scene and await the arrival of NTSB and other agencies.

Mayor: Police Commissioner Jimmy O’Neill –

Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill: Thanks, Mr. Mayor. So, at 1:43 pm this afternoon, the first 9-1-1 calls came in reporting a crash and a fire atop 787 7th Avenue, which is right across the street, and it’s a 54-story office building. Emergency personnel responded, as Dan said – Dan Nigro said. Very quickly, FDNY personnel put out the fire. At this point, we have one confirmed fatality, and the individual, as Dan said, is believed to be the pilot of a privately-owned helicopter. 

What we know is that at approximately 1:32 pm this afternoon, the helicopter took off from the 34th Street heliport, and about 11 minutes later crashed on the roof across the street from where we are now. Right now, our Detective Bureau, our Intelligence Bureau, and the FBI are working with the FAA and the NTSB to gather additional info on the pilot we believe – we [inaudible] identified, the aircraft, the flight path, and its owner. 

Don’t have too much more – as we said, that’s preliminary. And at this point, we’ll take some questions. 

Mayor: We’ll take a few questions.

Question: [Inaudible]

Commissioner O’Neill: Josh? Hold on – Josh?

Question: Commissioner, thank you. When you say it’s a privately-owned helicopter, do you [inaudible] what function is served in the [inaudible]?

Commissioner O’Neill: Yeah, tentatively we have it as executive travel. Alright?

Question: Do you know where it was headed at all?

Commissioner O’Neill: No, we don’t. We think it was going back to its home airport in Linden, New Jersey, but we’re not sure – again, it’s preliminary. 

Question: Commissioner, why was that helicopter in the air in weather like this?

Commissioner O’Neill: Not sure, that’s part of the investigation. 

Question: Was this the pilot – was he the owner-operator of the helicopter, or was –

Commissioner O’Neill: He doesn’t appear to be the owner. We have him preliminarily identified, but it’s not confirmed yet, and, of course, we are looking out for his family too. 

Question: Were there any distress calls or anything for the –

Commissioner O’Neill: That’s part of the investigation to see if there was any contact made with air traffic control. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Commissioner O’Neill: Hold on – hold on. Right back there –

Question: Aside from the weather, was there another reason why they shouldn’t have been flying [inaudible] Trump Tower, and I know that –

Commissioner O’Neill: Yeah, there’s a TFR there – a Temporary Flight Restriction – and we’re checking into that now too. 

Mayor: And to be clear – just to finish this – to go into that area, a helicopter would need the approval of LaGuardia Tower, and we need to find out if that happened or not here. We do not know at this point. 

Question: Did any debris fall from the roof that hit the [inaudible] sidewalk [inaudible]?

Commissioner O’Neill: Dan, I don’t know if you have that.

Commissioner Nigro: No. So far, we had some fall onto a setback on the building, but not to the street. 

Question: [Inaudible]

Commissioner O’Neill: Hold on, one at a time – hold on. 

Question: Can you speak to the complexity of this response [inaudible] had a fire –

Mayor: I just want to start – the fire fighters had to deal with a fire well above the 50th story, which is extraordinarily difficult in any circumstance, and in the middle of this weather. So, FDNY did an extraordinary job today. 

Dan?

Commissioner Nigro: I think quickly getting up there using the building elevators. Pumping water over 700 feet requires a special hose, special pumpers, which we have available. They were put to good use today. And the members got those lines as quickly as possible up to that roof and put this fire out, which was a great accomplishment by the members. 

Question: [Inaudible]

Commissioner O’Neill: Hold on – hold on. 

Question: [Inaudible] Uber offering a helicopter service in the City –

Commissioner O’Neill: You’re going to have to say that again. 

Question: Is this accident going to impact the decision by Uber to offer –

Commissioner O’Neill: That’s way preliminary – 

Mayor: We don’t know. 

Commissioner O’Neill: – Way too early. 

Question: [Inaudible] 

Mayor: We don’t know that. Henry, we don’t know, that’s what we’re trying to confirm – if they had any contact with LaGuardia Tower or any other entity. 

Commissioner O’Neill: As we get updates, we’ll make them available. 

Thank you very much.