Los Angeles helicopter crash: Video shows moments before news chopper goes down, 3 killed | VIDEO
Los Angeles: A news helicopter covering a deadly bus crash in Los Angeles came down in a neighbourhood, killing three people and injuring another. Videos from moments before and after the crash show the incident unfolding and the fiery aftermath as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
The helicopter was covering an earlier road accident in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles, where an SUV had crashed into a bus, killing another three people and injuring several others.
Reporters already at the bus crash scene said they heard a loud bang before seeing a helicopter come down roughly a block away. Thick smoke soon rose from the crash site.
Video recorded shortly before the crash shows the news helicopter in the area as coverage of the deadly bus accident was underway.
Footage from after the crash shows a large fire at the site, with flames appearing to involve cars and shipping containers. The wreckage of the helicopter could also be seen amid the flames, including its damaged tail and rotors.
The videos provide a visual account of the moments surrounding the crash, although authorities had not immediately established what caused the helicopter to go down.
NBC4 confirms its news helicopter crashed
Police initially confirmed that the aircraft was a media helicopter, but the identities of those aboard were not immediately released.
The local NBC4 affiliate reported live that it had been unable to make contact with its helicopter crew.
During the station's coverage, veteran anchor Colleen Williams later confirmed that the helicopter belonged to NBC4.
The confirmation came during an emotional live broadcast as the station reported on the crash involving its own crew.
Three killed in helicopter crash
The Los Angeles Fire Department said four patients were assessed following the crash.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another person was taken to a local hospital in unknown condition.
One of those killed appeared to have been a pedestrian who was on the ground when the helicopter crashed.
Dozens of firefighters were sent to the scene as emergency crews tackled the fire and dealt with the wreckage.
Helicopter was covering another deadly crash
The news helicopter had been in the area because local media outlets were covering a separate deadly accident involving an SUV and a bus in Chatsworth.
That earlier crash killed three people and injured several others, according to the information provided by authorities.
Los Angeles has a highly competitive television news market, and news stations routinely use helicopters to provide aerial coverage of major incidents, including fires, crashes and police operations.
News media helicopters typically carry two people — a pilot and a reporter-camera operator.
The cause of the helicopter crash had not been confirmed at the time of the initial reports.
With AFP inputs