Three people were killed Tuesday evening when an NBC news helicopter crashed while covering a deadly bus collision in Los Angeles, authorities said.
The helicopter, which provided aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, went down shortly before 7 p.m. near the site of an earlier crash involving a Metro bus. NBC Los Angeles confirmed that several news helicopters had been in the area reporting on the earlier incident.
The helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings and a fire broke out after the impact. The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people were killed in the helicopter crash, while one other person was taken to a hospital. A pedestrian on the ground was among those who died.
The crash happened during an already deadly night for the community. Earlier Tuesday, a separate collision involving a Metro bus and another vehicle left two people dead and at least six others hospitalized. News helicopters were covering that crash when the NBC aircraft went down nearby.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 later confirmed that the helicopter involved was providing aerial news coverage for both stations. In a statement, the stations said they were deeply saddened by the fatal accident and extended condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died.
The circumstances surrounding the helicopter crash remain unclear. Authorities have not yet announced what caused the aircraft to go down, and the investigation is continuing.
The incident has drawn particular attention because the helicopter was in the air as journalists were covering another major crash just moments away. The two separate incidents left multiple people dead and several others injured in the same area that evening.