3 Dead After Los Angeles News Helicopter Crashes in Chatsworth

Three individuals have died following a helicopter crash in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday night. The incident occurred near the scene of a deadly Metro bus crash that had taken place earlier.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the aircraft went down between two commercial buildings in the 9000 block of North Mason Avenue. Witnesses observed the helicopter land on top of shipping containers and several parked vehicles before a fire broke out.

While SkyCal helicopters were initially reported to be overhead covering the emergency response, officials have not yet confirmed which news organization owned the crashed aircraft or how many people were on board at the time.

Firefighters and police established a perimeter around the wreckage. A canopy was placed over one body after the flames were extinguished. LAFD Captain Branden Silverman confirmed that one person was found outside the aircraft and pronounced dead at the scene.

“We do have one confirmed patient that seemed to be outside of the helicopter when it crashed,” Silverman said. “At this point, we have not confirmed how many victims, or how many people, were inside the helicopter.”

Because the helicopter was severely damaged, investigators stated they would need to sift through the rubble to determine the total number of victims and identify the aircraft. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been contacted to assist with the ongoing investigation alongside the Los Angeles Police Department.