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A news helicopter crashed and burst into flames in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday evening, killing at least three people near the scene of an earlier bus collision that had already claimed two lives.
The crash happened at around 7 p.m. in the Chatsworth neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley. The helicopter came down close to a one-story commercial building as news crews were covering a separate accident nearby. An NBC4 Los Angeles anchor confirmed during a live broadcast that the station’s own chopper had gone down just before 7 p.m.
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Three Dead in Helicopter Crash, Victims’ Locations Unclear
Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Branden Silverman spoke at a news conference shortly after the crash. He confirmed that at least one of the three people killed was standing outside in a parking lot next to the commercial building. However, officials could not immediately confirm whether the other two victims were on the ground or inside the aircraft.
One additional person was taken to hospital. Their condition was not immediately known. Silverman described the helicopter as “pretty well destroyed” and said crews would search through the wreckage to determine how many people had been on board. “We’re trying to determine how many patients were inside the helicopter,” he said.
The fire that followed the crash spread quickly. At least four cars and two storage containers on the ground caught fire before crews brought the blaze under control. More than 50 firefighters responded to the scene, according to the fire department.
Earlier Bus Crash Also Kills Two in San Fernando Valley
About two hours before the helicopter crash, an SUV slammed into the side of a city bus in the same general area. That collision killed at least two people and injured six others. Photos and videos shared online showed half of the SUV lodged into the side of an MTA bus.
The helicopter went down approximately one and a half miles from the bus crash site. News crews had gathered in the area to cover the earlier accident when the second tragedy unfolded.
Federal Agencies Launch Investigation
Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration announced they will investigate the cause of the helicopter crash. The dual incidents left emergency services stretched across multiple scenes in the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday evening.
As of Tuesday night, authorities continued to work through the wreckage. The full circumstances behind both the bus collision and the helicopter crash remain under investigation.
