By Alex Driggars,Staff Writer
SALADO — Two soldiers are dead, and firefighters had contained a large grass fire after a U.S. Army Apache helicopter based at Fort Hood crashed in Bell County Wednesday afternoon.
Just after 1:30 p.m., first responders were called to the crash south of Salado and about a mile west of Interstate 35, Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman told the American-Statesman. The two people aboard the aircraft were pronounced dead at the scene by a local justice of the peace, Coleman said.
Coleman said the helicopter crashed in a field and did not hit any structures or people on the ground. “You could tell it was a violent crash,” he added.
Fort Hood officials confirmed the crash killed two service members aboard an AH-64E Apache attack helicopter. The service members had not been publicly identified as of Thursday afternoon.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said in a statement.
Neither the Army nor local officials had released additional information about the crash as of Thursday afternoon.
The crash sparked a 155-acre grass fire that was fully contained by Thursday morning. Salado, Jarrell, Eastside and Westside firefighters responded, and some homes near the blaze were evacuated, Coleman said. The fire prompted the closure of FM 2843 Wednesday.
Numerous fire departments from across Central Texas assisted with firefighting efforts. Travis County STAR Flight conducted water drops, county officials said.
Fort Hood’s Army Criminal Investigation Division is leading the response. Bell County authorities and the Texas Department of Public Safety are assisting.
Transportation Reporter
Alex has been reporting on Texas communities since 2016. He primarily covers transportation and infrastructure in and around Austin, documenting how Central Texans move. He previously covered Texas politics for the American-Statesman. Before coming to the capital city, the West Texas native covered government and public policy for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and served as editor of the Floyd County Record. He holds a degree in communication studies from Wayland Baptist University.
