In brief: Two Law Vegas police officers hurt in helicopter crash

Las Vegas – A Las Vegas police helicopter crashed on a residential street Wednesday and two police officers were taken to a hospital for treatment of moderate injuries, authorities said.

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the four-seat MD-500 helicopter to go down just before 1:30 p.m. northeast of downtown Las Vegas.

Police Sgt. John Sheahan said the crash occurred just seven minutes after the aircraft took off from its base at North Las Vegas Airport, about 5 miles from the crash site. The pilot and co-pilot were helping with a search for a stabbing suspect at the time.

Sheahan said the pilot was able to make a distress call before the chopper hit the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were investigating, he said.

The two men reported what Sheahan described as moderate back injuries.

Multiple buildings burn in Wyoming town

Cheyenne, Wyo. – Huge flames ripped through historic buildings in the picturesque western Wyoming town of Dubois as firefighters contended with subzero temperatures that froze their hoses and other equipment.

Four buildings containing more than a dozen businesses were destroyed, but Mayor Twila Blakeman credited firefighters with keeping the flames from spreading even further.

“It was horrendous for them. They were, as usual, heroes,” Blakeman said.

One destroyed building contained about 10 businesses. Also burned were a fly fishing shop and a gallery in the town of 1,000 that’s tucked between the Wind River and Absaroka mountain ranges.