Four people have died after a helicopter crashed and caught fire Saturday afternoon on Montreal’s South Shore, according to Quebec provincial police. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said emergency crews were called shortly after 2:30 p.m. following reports of a helicopter crash near Rang des Écossais, off Highway 10 in the municipality of Sainte-Brigide-d’Iberville, about 50 kilometres southeast of Montreal. The helicopter was found on fire when emergency responders arrived. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control within approximately an hour. All four occupants of the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The identities of the victims had not been released as of Saturday evening, pending notification of their families. Police have not yet determined what caused the helicopter to crash. The aircraft is believed to have been a private helicopter, although officials have not released further details about its ownership or flight. The SQ’s Major Crimes Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is also investigating and has sent investigators to the crash site. Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said Transport Canada is closely monitoring the situation and will appoint an observer to oversee the investigation. “The safety of civil aviation operations is Transport Canada’s highest priority,” MacKinnon said, adding that the department is prepared to support the investigation and work with the relevant authorities. Investigators are expected to examine the helicopter, the crash site and available flight information as they work to determine what happened before the aircraft went down. Authorities have not indicated that there is any ongoing danger to the public in the area. The immediate response focused on extinguishing the fire, securing the crash site and preserving evidence for investigators. The TSB investigation will focus on determining the circumstances and contributing factors surrounding the crash. Depending on the findings, investigators could examine mechanical issues, weather conditions, flight operations and other factors. Officials have not released information about the victims or provided a timeline for the investigation. The crash is one of the latest fatal aviation incidents to prompt a TSB investigation in Canada. Investigators typically release preliminary information as the examination progresses, while a final report can take considerably longer to complete. Further details are expected to be released as police and federal investigators continue their work at the scene.