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A helicopter has crashed into a crane at Berkeley鈥檚 Vauxhall tower site in London, killing two people.

The London fire brigade received a call about the crash at 8.00am this morning and dispatched fire crews to the site of the crash at Wandsworth Road.

The helicopter is understood to have struck a crane on the Broadway Malyan-designed The Tower, One St George Wharf, known as the Vauxhall tower, which is being developed by St George, a Berkeley subsidiary.The crane can now be seen hanging down the side of the building.

The police said two people had died in the crash - the pilot of the helicopter and someone police said had been in 鈥渃lose proximity鈥� to where the helicopter crashed in a nearby street - and others had been taken to hospital with minor injuries. The police said the helicopter was not carrying passengers.

Contractors are now conducting tests on the structure of the building following the incident, with emergency services fighting to make the site safe.

Brookfield is the main contractor on the building, constructing the shell and core.

A spokesperson for Berkeley Group said: 鈥淥ur thoughts at this time are with the friends and families of those killed and injured in this tragic incident.

鈥淓mergency services are on the scene and authorities are investigating the circumstances. We are offering our full support and assistance to the emergency services.鈥�

In Berkeley Group鈥檚 interim results announced in December 2012, The Tower in Vauxhall was highlighted as one of seven major projects where delivering sales is crucial for it to deliver its predicted return to shareholders of 拢568m by the end of September 2015.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 鈥淎t 8am this morning we were alerted to an incident in Wandsworth Road. It appears a helicopter was in a collision with a crane on top of a building.鈥�

The London Ambulance Service said it had treated six patients - five for minor injuries and one for a broken leg. Four of the patients were taken to St Thomas鈥� Hospital and two 鈥� a man and a woman 鈥� were taken to King鈥檚 College Hospital. Seven patients were treated on scene.

The RNLI is searching the Thames 鈥渁fter possible sighting of a person in river after this morning鈥檚 helicopter crash鈥�.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that the building the crane hit was 鈥渟hrouded in mist鈥� and that the helicopter 鈥減lummeted straight into the ground鈥�.

Nicky Morgan, MP for Loughborough, told the BBC: 鈥淚 was walking towards Vauxhall tube station from Lambeth Palace area where I have a flat.

鈥淭here was suddenly an enormous bang - I thought something exploded.

鈥淚t was coming from beyond Vauxhall tube station.

鈥淭hen clouds and clouds of black smoke.

鈥淚 presumed what it was I heard was the crane collapsing or the helicopter crashing into it.

鈥淗uge smoke cloud.

鈥淚 heard the bang then saw the clouds of smoke but there was too much in the way to see much at that point.鈥�