LOS ANGELES, SEPT 16: An NBC News helicopter crashed and caught fire in a neighborhood in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, killing at least three people, officials said.
The helicopter went down near a storage facility in Chatsworth, in the San Fernando Valley, while news crews were covering a separate crash involving an SUV and a city bus nearby.
NBC4 Los Angeles anchor Colleen Williams confirmed during a live broadcast that the station’s helicopter had crashed shortly before 7 p.m. The station’s coverage was subsequently interrupted.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said at least one person killed in the helicopter crash was outside in a parking lot near the commercial building. Authorities were still working to determine whether the other victims were inside the helicopter or on the ground.
One person was taken to a hospital, although officials had not immediately released details about their condition.
Fire officials said the helicopter was heavily damaged in the crash and crews were searching through the wreckage to determine how many people were aboard.
The crash also sparked a fire that damaged at least four vehicles and two storage containers near the site. More than 50 firefighters responded to the incident, and the fire was brought under control.
The helicopter was identified as NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air. Several television news helicopters had been covering the earlier bus crash before the NewsChopper4 went down roughly 1.6 kilometres from the scene.
The earlier incident involved an SUV that collided with a city bus, leaving at least two people dead and six injured, according to fire officials.
California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed condolences to the victims and their families and thanked emergency crews responding to both incidents.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the helicopter crash. Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage and other evidence to determine the cause of the accident.
