17 January,2013 07:14 AM IST | | Agencies
Witnesses said the helicopter - which had requested to divert and land at London's Battersea Heliport due to bad weather conditions - hit a crane at the top of the tower near Vauxhall Bridge in Vauxhall, central London.u00a0
Eight fire engines, four fire rescue units and around 60 firefighters were at the scene to defuse the situation.
Eyewitness Matt Haverson, said, "It was extremely scary⦠I obviously thought it was a terrorist attack.
" Sarah-Beth Casey, who lives in a nearby flat, said, "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that. I have three small children with me in the flat. It's one of your fears that something like this can happen. When I heard the explosion - it was like a little earthquake."u00a0