THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — A Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) helicopter that crashed in the Capitol Forest Wednesday night was on a routine training flight, according to U.S. Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith.
The crash happened in the Summit Lake area of Thurston County, west of Olympia.
Smith said search efforts are underway.
Air traffic controllers at JBLM’s Gray Airfield lost touch with the aircraft at 9 p.m., and deputies were dispatched to a report of a possible crash, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
Around the same time, 911 calls were coming in from people in the area who reported hearing a helicopter and then a crash.
When deputies found the scene in a wooded area, they were unable to continue rescue efforts because the crash site was engulfed in flames, Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said in a Facebook post Wednesday night.
Deputies didn’t have fire protection gear, and the flames were so hot, their shoes began to overheat.
The fire has since spread to 1 acre. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WADNR) has staff at the scene who are working with the military and other agencies to put out the fire. A WADNR engine responded Wednesday night, and more resources were assigned to the fire Thursday morning, an agency spokesperson said.
The King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian 1 helicopter was overhead, and special operation rescue units from the county and JBLM responded.
The TCSO worked with JBLM to deploy resources. First responders remain at the scene Thursday.
The number of people on board the chopper and their status have not been released.
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