Silver Lake Daily Newsletter.com

Officials said it is a "miracle" no one on board was critically injured:
Infant and three crew members suffer non-life threatening injuries in medical helicopter crash; 'pilot did heroic job'

DREXEL HILL, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- An infant and three crew members were injured Tuesday afternoon when a medical helicopter crashed "on the front steps" of the Drexel Hill United Methodist Church in Drexel Hill, Delaware County.

The crash happened in the 600 block of Burmont Road near Bloomfield Avenue just before 1 p.m. The helicopter was traveling from WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The three crew members were rushed to Lankenau Medical Center and the infant patient was taken to CHOP. Officials said miraculously, no one suffered life-threatening injuries.

"It's a miracle. It's an absolute miracle," said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy M. Bernhardt.

"The noise was so loud I thought it was a bomb. It was crazy not a sound I've ever heard before," said Lisa Smith.

Neighbors then flooded the streets.

"I ran out down the street, there were flames and people climbing out from the top of the helicopter," said Denise Palmarino who's lived in Drexel Hill for 20 years.

Everyone is praising the pilot, who was in a very tough spot. Surrounding the scene of the crash there are a lot of homes, a busy road, schools, and businesses.

"I can't wait to meet this gentleman and shake his hand for getting this (helicopter down) the way he did," said Bernhardt.