Three people have died and two others were taken to hospital after NBC Los Angeles' NewsChopper4 crashed in the Chatsworth neighbourhood just before 19:00 local time. The helicopter was on assignment covering a deadly bus collision when it went down between two commercial buildings, fire authorities said.
NBC Los Angeles confirmed the aircraft was its NewsChopper4, which also served Telemundo 52, and named the two people who were aboard as Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw, calling them "valued friends and colleagues." The third fatality was a person on the ground, who has not been named.
Los Angeles Fire Department personnel said fire from the crash spread to four vehicles and two storage containers, and more than 70 firefighters were sent to the scene. LAFD Captain Branden Silverman told a local CBS affiliate, "We do have one confirmed patient that seemed to be outside of the helicopter when it crashed. That person was declared deceased on scene."
Several news helicopters were reporting from the area at the time. Earlier in the day a local CBS affiliate reported that two people had been killed and six others injured after an SUV collided with a city bus in Chatsworth, the incident the crews were covering.
The crash drew immediate reactions from public officials and law enforcement. The LAPD's Central Division posted condolences on X to the family, friends and colleagues of KNBC 4. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass wrote on X that she was "absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight," and California Governor Gavin Newsom said, "our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight's devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family," adding thanks to first responders.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash. Authorities have not released further details about the third victim, the conditions of the two hospitalized people, or a timeline for the NTSB probe.
