A firetruck somehow crashed into a helicopter in Santiago, Chile today, splitting the chopper in two and sending it into an out-of-control spin until it exploded.
Amazingly, everyone survived the horrifying episode.
Both the firetruck and the Eurocopter EC-135 were responding to a drunk driver who crashed into a police car, as 9News.au reports.
Police closed off the street to allow the helicopter to land and assist at a crash caused by a drunk driver which left three police officers seriously injured.
When a fire truck made its way into the secure zone it edged too close to the chopper, nicking one of its spinning blades.
This is when the helicopter started spinning, hitting a police car, splitting in two, and showering the area with sparks until the entire craft exploded.
Five people were hospitalized: the drunk driver who started the whole mess, the pilot who was seriously injured, and three police officers in the struck patrol vehicle.
This is certainly a strong reminder of how terribly things can go wrong for emergency responders. That and it is a massive testament to the safety structures built into modern helicopters. I shudder to imagine the G-forces that pilot endured.