News helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, killing 3; 1 hospitalized - USA Today

Three people were killed and a fourth was hospitalized after a television news helicopter crashed and burst into flames Tuesday evening in Chatsworth, according to authorities and NBC Los Angeles.

The helicopter went down at about 6:57 p.m. near 9151 N. Mason Ave., between two commercial buildings in the west San Fernando Valley. The crash sparked a large emergency response, with 56 Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters extinguishing the resulting blaze by about 8 p.m.

An LAFD spokesperson said one of the people killed was a pedestrian on the ground. Authorities believe the other victims were aboard the aircraft.

NBC Los Angeles later confirmed the helicopter was a news aircraft. It had been among several television helicopters covering a separate fatal Metro bus crash in Chatsworth when it fell into a parking lot and erupted into a fireball, according to witness accounts.

The impact and fire damaged four vehicles and two storage containers, though no nearby buildings were affected.

LAFD spokesperson Brandon Silverman said the aircraft was so badly damaged that firefighters initially could not identify it from the wreckage.

"From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed," Silverman told NBC Los Angeles. "So we are going to have to go through the rubble and see how many victims there were on board, as well as identify the helicopter; we couldn't even see a tail."

Authorities have not released the names, ages or genders of the victims.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she was "absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight," while Gov. Gavin Newsom offered condolences to the victims' families and the NBC4 newsroom, thanking first responders for their efforts.

Investigators are still determining the cause of the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are gathering information and are expected to lead the inquiry.

The tragedy occurred less than two hours after another deadly incident in Chatsworth, where a collision involving a Metro bus and a passenger vehicle killed two people and injured several others.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. A video has been added to this story.