One person dead after helicopter crashes in Stouffville, police say

York Regional Police say one person is dead after a helicopter crash near Preston Lake in Stouffville on Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency crews, including York Regional Police, Markham fire and Stouffville fire, were called to the area of Woodbine Avenue and Bloomington Road around 3 p.m.

A police spokesperson was able to confirm with Global News that a small aircraft, a helicopter, had crashed and one person was believed to be on board.

The pilot crashed in the area of Warden Avenue, north of Aurora Road, close to Preston Lake. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Whitchurch-Stouffville fire chief Richard Renaud said they don’t know how the incident happened in the area it did but that there were no other injuries.

“We do not know how this incident happened,” he said. “There was a small fire that fire crews put out and one occupant outside the aircraft.”

“The helicopters in a field, so it is on a property. It is a ways in behind the trees and bushes so it was very difficult to see and again, the weather was very misty with rain and there was very little smoke so it took a while for us to locate.”

Renaud said they aren’t sure what caused the crash at this point. He said communications with the helicopter were lost around 2 p.m., which is why crews were initially sent out.

Warden Avenue is currently closed from St. Johns Side Road to Aurora Road.

— With files from Sean O’Shea