Two soldiers were killed on Wednesday when a U.S. army helicopter crashed in Texas, according to the Bell County Sheriff’s Office.
Cliff Coleman, the public information officer with the Bell County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed the details in a news conference, saying the two soldiers were pronounced dead after officials responded to 911 calls around 1:34 p.m. local time on Wednesday in Salado, Texas.
“Bell County Sheriff’s Office responded and noted not only a helicopter crash but then also a wildfire that was out of control. The ESD number one, which is the Salado Fire Department, the East Salado Fire Department, the West Side Fire Department and the Gerald Fire Department have all responded to this, and at this time this fire is not contained yet,” he said on Wednesday afternoon.
Coleman said that the Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation and confirmed that an Apache helicopter was involved and “two souls were on board.”
“It was crashed into a field. You could tell it was a violent crash,” he added, noting that the helicopter did not strike any homes or other structures.
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The U.S. Army Fort Hood confirmed that an “AH-64E Apache attack helicopter based at Fort Hood crashed today in Salado” in a news release on Wednesday.
The U.S. army said that the names of the soldiers are being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next-of-kin and that the deceased service members will be transported to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,” said Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, 1st Cavalry Division acting commanding general.
Fort Hood personnel remain on scene working in co-ordination with local first responders.
On Thursday, the Salado Fire Department said it returned to the scene of the crash to make sure “no remaining hot spots or areas of concerns” remain after extinguishing the fire on Wednesday evening.
“Even after the flames are out, the work continues. Our crews will continue to monitor the area and make sure the scene remains secure,” the Salado Fire Department added. “Once again, we cannot say thank you enough to every single firefighter, department, agency, law enforcement officer, emergency responder, and individual who helped yesterday.”
“The tremendous mutual-aid response and teamwork made a significant difference in how quickly this fire was contained. We are extremely grateful for everyone who answered the call and for our community’s cooperation throughout the incident. Our thoughts and prayers also remain with the families and loved ones of the two individuals who tragically lost their lives in the helicopter crash,” the post concluded.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took to X after the crash, writing, “Today, an Apache helicopter crashed in Bell County during Fort Hood operations, killing two members of our military. Join Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community. Texas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.”
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