Helicopter crashes into Cairns hotel: Double Tree Hotel by Hilton evacuated after horrific footage of fire emerges
Footage has emerged showing hundreds of people evacuating a burning hotel after a helicopter crashed onto the roof, sparking a massive fire.
Emergency services were called to the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton on the corner of Esplanade, Abbott and Florence Streets in Cairns City, Australia at around 1.50am this morning.
Queensland Ambulance confirmed in a social media post that “a helicopter crashed into the roof of a hotel”.
Caitlin Dennings, senior operations supervisor for Queensland Ambulance Service’s Far Norther region, told media on Monday that about 300 to 400 people had been evacuated from the hotel.
Footage shared on social media by a tourist visiting Australia showed the roof engulfed in flames, with huge red and orange flames shooting up the roof.
Huge plumes of black smoke rose from the roof of the hotel as the fire continued to rage.
“The whole building is on fire,” a woman was heard saying as flames were seen on the ground floor of the hotel.
“Did you see it? The helicopter… it’s just crazy. I was just walking by… I saw it go down,” she continued.
The helicopter crashed into the roof of the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton in Cairns City, causing a massive fire (photo)
Some hotel guests stood in a nearby park and watched as the flames tore through the hotel.
Two people are taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition after being assessed by paramedics.
Queensland Police announced a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) and an exclusion zone was established encompassing Esplanade, Minnie Street, Aplin Street and Grafton Street.
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