LOGAN COUNTY, W.Va. — Six people were killed when a helicopter crashed in southwestern West Virginia on Wednesday, authorities said.

>> Read more trending news

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Bell UH-1B helicopter crashed in Logan County at about 5 p.m. EDT, WCHS-TV reported.

Logan County Office of Emergency Management deputy director Sonya Porter confirmed the six fatalities, according to the television station.

Emergency service crews reported that Route 17 near Kelly Hollow is temporarily closed, WCHS reported. The road is also known as Blair Mountain Highway, which is located on Kelly Mountain, according to WOWK-TV. Logan County Sheriff Paul Clemens confirmed that the crash occurred in the area, WCHS reported.

The identities of the victims have not been confirmed, Ray Bryant, the Chief of Operations for the Logan Emergency Management Authority, confirmed to WSAZ. Bryant added that the helicopter was a Vietnam-era “Huey” and was used for tourism flights.

“I saw that there was a guy trapped, I guess the captain. I tried to get down to the door where he was at,” Bobbi Childs, an area resident who witnessed the crash, told WOWK. “You could see him plain as day. I tried to get to him, but the fire was too hot. I couldn’t get to him.”

According to the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board will be in charge of the crash investigation, WSAZ-TV reported.

“The cockpit of the aircraft is burned up,” Bryant told WOWK. “The tail boom is laying across the road. It is recognizable, we knew it was a local helicopter. It was recognizable as soon as we got on scene.

Authorities have not provided additional details, according to WCHS.

©2022 Cox Media Group