RCMP have confirmed that four people died when a helicopter crashed in the middle of a street in a busy residential neighbourhood in Cranbrook, in the southeastern Interior of B.C., on Tuesday afternoon.

Witnesses said the chopper was flying low before the crash at 1 p.m. MT when it suddenly came down near the corner of 10th Street and 14th Avenue.

Joe Pierre said he saw the helicopter hovering unusually low before it crashed right next to his vehicle.

"I came across the intersection and the next thing I know my car is being slammed and there's an explosion right beside me and it's that helicopter," Pierre said. "It exploded right beside me … I'm pretty freaked out right now."

Emergency crews were at the helicopter crash site within minutes but were unable to save any of the four victims. CBC Three people in the helicopter, including two BC Hydro employees, and a pedestrian died in the crash.

Witnesses said the helicopter exploded into a fireball once it hit the ground, and attempts to rescue the victims were unsuccessful.

"My landlord and I, we tried to … dig the guy out from under the helicopter and tried to put out the fire but it was too late already," said Rich Schram.

RCMP Cpl. Chris Faulkner said given that the crash happened in a residential neighbourhood and there are two elementary schools nearby, it's a miracle there wasn't more loss of life.

"As tragic as it is to lose the four people that we did lose, we're very lucky that more people weren't hurt or killed," Faulkner said.

A B.C. Hydro truck sits outside the Bighorn Helicopter Inc. building Tuesday afternoon. CBC The chopper belonged to Bighorn Helicopter Inc., a helicopter charter service based in the Cranbrook area. It was being used by BC Hydro to inspect power lines.

A spokesperson for BC Hydro said the company has suspended the use of helicopters, except for emergency situations, and may launch an investigation of its own.

The names of the deceased have not been released pending notification of next of kin. RCMP said the pedestrian who was killed is not from Canada and Interpol is now working to locate his family.

The cause of the crash has not been determined. Transportation Safety Board investigators are now on the scene.