Salado: A US military helicopter crashed in central Texas on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of both individuals on board and sparking a significant grass fire that prompted nearby residents to evacuate their homes.

According to Anadolu Agency, Cliff Coleman, the public information officer for the Bell County Sheriff's Office, confirmed that there were two people on board the helicopter. Both individuals were pronounced deceased following the crash, which occurred in a field south of Salado.

The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, which was operating out of the Fort Hood military installation, crashed at approximately 1:34 pm local time (1834 GMT). The incident took place about half a mile from a residential area, and while no homes were directly impacted by the crash, the wildfire that ensued remained uncontained by Wednesday afternoon, as reported by Coleman.

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene to combat the flames, which were intensified by strong southern winds. As a safety measure, authorities ordered precautionary evacuations for residents along Route FM 2843. The Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Division has initiated a formal investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash.

Coleman directed specific inquiries regarding the helicopter's flight path or the military status of the deceased individuals to military authorities, as further details were not disclosed.