A fatal helicopter crash on Thursday claimed the lives of two people when the aircraft struck powerlines and hurtled onto a barge on the Mississippi River, according to multiple reports. The crash ignited a fire on the barge that sent thick smoke billowing into the air on the Missouri side of the river, near East Alton, Illinois. “Explosions continued for several minutes.”The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it was investigating the crash of a Hughes 369D (MD 500D) helicopter in Alton on Thursday. The crash occurred at around 11 a.m. local time about half a mile (800 meters) from the Melvin Price Lock and Dam, according to the Associated Press. Video of the wreckage showed what appeared to be the charred fuselage on a barge as workers inspected the crash site.