County firefighters respond to aircraft collision over Potomac River near Reagan National Airport

District officials say 67 people believed to have died in Wednesday night’s crash

January 30, 2025 10:47 a.m. | Updated: January 30, 2025 11:48 a.m.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) crews provided assistance to the Washington, D.C., fire department as it responded to Wednesday night’s collision between a passenger plane and a U.S. Army Blackhawk over the Potomac River, according to MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer.

According to District officials, all 64 people on the passenger plane and three military service members aboard the helicopter are believed to have died in the crash near Reagan National Airport, which occurred around 9 p.m. NBC 4 reported that an American Airlines flight arriving from Wichita, Kansas, and the Blackhawk were involved in the collision. As of Thursday morning, 28 bodies have been recovered, according to news reports.

The collision drew a heavy emergency response from local law enforcement and first responders. At about 9:30 p.m., Piringer posted on social media that MCFRS crews were providing mutual aid to the District’s fire and EMS department.

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MCFRS Chief Cory Smedley told NBC 4 on Wednesday night the department was responding directly to needs requested by D.C. fire and rescue officials. Some MCFRS units were sent to fill in at District fire stations to handle standard calls so D.C. firefighters could respond to the crash, and MCFRS also sent a canteen and rehab unit to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in the District at the request of D.C.’s Fire and EMS Department Chief John Donnelly Sr.

“We want to help, but we have to be disciplined on how we approach that help,” Smedley said. “We have sent resources based on the resources that have been requested. This is a marathon. … We are ready to stand by with our water assets and other assets at their beck and call. Regionally, we are really prepared for an unfortunate event like this.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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