A helicopter crashed into a building on 7th Avenue, halting traffic on nearby streets in the heart of midtown Manhattan. USA TODAY

NEW YORK – A helicopter crashed into a building on 7th Avenue on Monday, killing the pilot, starting a fire and halting traffic on nearby streets in the heart of midtown Manhattan, the city fire department said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said preliminary information indicated the helicopter made an emergency landing on the building – in the heart of tightly controlled airspace – shortly before 2 p.m.