A Japanese military helicopter crashed into a residential district in the city of Kanzaki on Monday afternoon, with local reports suggesting that the two crew members have been killed.

The Apache AH-64 attack helicopter was taking part in exercises when it came down on houses close to a elementary school, national broadcaster NHK reported. Footage on television has shown firefighters tackling a blaze that has gutted a two-storey home and caused damage to surrounding buildings.

The images showed a plume of black smoke rising over houses and apartment blocks.

There are no reports of injuries to civilians on the ground and the house is reported to have been empty at the time of the accident. Education authorities in Saga Prefecture, south-west Japan, have confirmed that no children attending the nearby school were injured.

The incident comes amid growing public concern over accidents involving military helicopters, primarily in the southern prefecture of Okinawa.