Chilean police chief General Jose Alejandro Bernales talks with the media at the Chilean congress in the port city of Valparaiso in this July 12, 2007 file photo.(Xinhua/Reuters, File Photo)

The director general of the Chilean police Jose Alejandro Bernales was killed Thursday when a helicopter crashed into a building in the center of Panama City.

Bernales was among the 12 people killed in the crash, including Bernales's wife and several Chilean military commanders who were on board the helicopter when it slammed into a three-story building.

Witnesses say the helicopter broke in half on impact and the building caught fire. The accident also killed two people working in one of the stores nearby, police said.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.

Bernales, who had served as Chile's police chief since 2005, was on an official visit to Panama for an anti-terrorism conference.

The tragedy caused scenes of terror in the city, affecting small businesses on Calidonia Avenue, one of the most busiest commercial streets in the city.

Mayor of Panama City Juan Carlos Navarro has ordered security, paramedics and firemen of the city to take necessary measures to avoid collateral damage.