CLEVELAND -- A medical helicopter crashed into a ball of flames in Cleveland, killing two people.

The chopper taking off from University Hospitals just after midnight hit one of the buildings and caught fire.

Amazingly, a third person on board, 29-year-old medic Joe Paoletta of Brecksville, jumped from the helicopter as it was falling. He is the only survivor. He was transferred to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he's listed in fair condition with burns over 25 percent of his body.

The flight nurse, Kelly Conti, 38, of Wickliffe, and pilot William Spence, 51, or Marshallville, died in the crash. The hospital said that Spence was a former National Guard pilot.

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Crash Report Hospital Director Witnesses

Another helicopter pilot, Capt. Thom Bencin, told NewsChannel5 that the MedEvac No. 8 was on its way to pick up a patient. It had trouble getting off the helipad and it clipped the 10th floor of Lerner Tower.

Patients inside the hospital were not affected.

Witnesses said they heard two loud booms and saw huge flames shooting into the air.

"There was an explosion and sparks everywhere," one witness said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are on their way to Cleveland to investigate what happened.

The helicopter was owned and operated by a Pittsburgh company, Corporate Jet Systems.

The hospital is fully operational Friday.