3 people dead in news helicopter crash in LA

Several news helicopters were in the San Fernando Valley community covering a deadly bus crash at a nearby intersection.

Three people were killed and one person was hospitalized Tuesday night following a helicopter crash in Chatsworth, a neighborhood in northern Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

The crash was reported just before 7 p.m. in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue. The LAFD said the helicopter went down between two commercial buildings. The crash resulted in a fire, damaging four vehicles and two storage containers in the area.

Details about the deceased, such as their age and gender, were not released.

NBCLA has confirmed the helicopter is a news helicopter. Several TV news helicopters were in the west San Fernando Valley community reporting on a crash involving a Metro bus.

LAFD public information officer Brandon Silverman said firefighters were unable to determine the helicopter's tail identification number, an alphanumeric code that is unique to an aircraft.

"From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed," Silverman said. "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."

A witness said the helicopter erupted in a fireball immediately after striking the ground in a parking lot.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement regarding the crash.

"I’m absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight," the mayor's statement read. "My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash."

A National Transportation Safety Bureau spokesman told NBC News the federal agency is gathering information on the helicopter crash and will decide soon whether to send investigators.

The cause of the crash is unclear.