Three people were killed after a news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, on Tuesday evening while covering an earlier deadly collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus, authorities said.
NBC Los Angeles later confirmed that its NewsChopper 4 was the aircraft that went down. The helicopter crashed shortly before 7 pm on the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, between two commercial buildings.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene after the aircraft crashed and burst into flames. One other person was taken to a nearby hospital, while details about the extent of the injuries were initially unclear.
Helicopter Crashed Near Chatsworth Accident Site
Several news helicopters were in the area covering an earlier crash involving a Metro bus and an SUV when the helicopter went down.
The aircraft appeared to have landed on two shipping containers and several parked vehicles. The resulting fire spread to nearby vehicles before firefighters brought it under control.
NBC Los Angeles had been providing aerial coverage of the earlier accident when contact with the helicopter was lost. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the incident.
Earlier SUV-Metro Bus Crash Kills Two
The helicopter crash occurred near the site of an earlier fatal collision in Chatsworth.
At around 5 pm, an SUV collided with a Metro bus near the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue. Two people were killed and at least six others were hospitalized following the crash, according to emergency officials.
Firefighters carried out rescue operations at the scene, including efforts to extricate people trapped in the bus.
The identities of those killed in the bus collision had not immediately been released.
Investigation Underway
Authorities are now investigating the circumstances that led to the helicopter crash. Officials have not yet released a definitive cause.
The incident unfolded as multiple emergency crews were already responding to the earlier Chatsworth collision, resulting in two separate major emergencies in the same area within hours.
The investigation by the FAA and NTSB is expected to determine what caused the news helicopter to go down and establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries.
