CNN —
Two people are dead after a Tennessee National Guard helicopter crashed in northern Alabama on Wednesday, Don Webster with Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. told CNN.
The crash occurred around 3 p.m. local time in Madison County, and the helicopter was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene, Webster said. Firefighters found the remains of two people inside.
CNN has reached out to the Tennessee National Guard for comment.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a statement that the UH-60 helicopter crashed on Alabama highway 53 near the intersection of Burwell Road.
“Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Highway Patrol Division in-conjunction with deputies from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office are assisting with securing the scene,” ALEA said in a statement.
Brent Patterson, a spokesperson with the Madison County sheriff’s office, confirmed the crash to CNN earlier Wednesday and said that there were no survivors.
Several agencies have helicopters in the area, Webster said, so it took officials some time to determine who owned the helicopter involved. The helicopter had no visible markings because it had been completely burned, further complicating the effort to identify it, he added.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
