11 August 2024 , 20:12
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A helicopter has crashed into the top of a hotel in Cairns City, Australia, sparking mass a evacuation zone - with Queensland police declaring a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) in the area
A helicopter has crashed into the top of a Cairns City hotel, prompting huge evacuations from the area.
Queensland Police have enacted an exclusion zone in the Australian city, encompassing Esplanade, Minnie Street, Aplin Street and Grafton Street. Police have also declared a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) notice in the area.
At 1:50am local time on Sunday morning, emergency services were called to the crash site at the Esplanade on the eastern side of the city. The public has been advised to avoid the area while authorities carry out their investigations into the incident.
No injuries have been reported on the ground, but no information has been given on the helicopter’s passengers
The first indications of the investigation indicate that a helicopter crashed into a hotel’s roof. The building was evacuated as a precaution, and no injuries were reported from people on the ground. Images appear to show the logo of Double Tree, a subsidiary brand of Hilton Hotels, on a sign next to the crash site.
Cairns is a city on Australia’s tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland, with a population of around 153,181 people. Known as the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, it is a tourist hotspot down under.
A full statement from Queensland Police read: "Police have declared a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) in Cairns City due to an aviation incident this morning, August 12. The PSPA has an updated exclusion zone encompassing Esplanade, Minnie Street, Abbott Street and Florence Street.
"Members of the public are advised to avoid the area. Emergency services were called to an aviation incident at the Esplanade in Cairns City about 1.50am. Initial investigations indicate a helicopter has crashed into the roof a hotel.
"The building was evacuated as a precaution and there were no injuries sustained by people on the ground. Police are on scene investigating the circumstances of the incident. If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444."