Firefighters Cut Patients from a Crashed Helicopter

Eustis, Florida – A helicopter pilot and passenger ended up on a medical helicopter after their light weight copter they were flying crashed into a residential neighborhood early Friday morning. Bystanders watched as the helicopter spun out of control after takeoff and a short flight from the Umatilla airport a few miles away. The helicopter clipped some trees as it was going down and crashed into a driveway about 50 feet away from a home on Curlee Road. “The two occupants were seriously injured and pinned by the wreckage” explains Lt. Brian Gamble, Vice President of the Professional Firefighters of Lake County. “Firefighters had to cut the patients out of the wreckage. They were transported to two medical helicopters that took them to area trauma centers.”

Crews from Lake County Fire, Lake EMS, and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. “Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured and the fuel was secured before a fire could break out” Gamble states. “Everyone is fortunate they avoided the houses as they crashed.”  The FAA has been notified of the crash and will be investigating.