Los Angeles helicopter crash kills at least three people with others injured

A helicopter crash in Los Angeles has claimed at least three lives, with one individual hospitalized and their condition unknown, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The incident occurred near the site of a fatal bus crash earlier in the day, officials revealed.

The cause of death for those killed in the helicopter crash remains unclear, as some victims could have been on board the aircraft while others were outside in the parking lot, reported Capt Branden Silverman from the fire department during a press conference. Silverman characterized the helicopter as "pretty well destroyed," adding that investigators will need to sift through the debris to determine the exact number of passengers on board.

The crash site involved a parking lot and several parked vehicles, per Silverman. Over fifty firefighters rushed to the scene with the blaze extinguished by the following Tuesday evening, having damaged four vehicles and two storage containers, officials confirmed.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have pledged to lead the investigation into the crash. Earlier in the day, a separate accident occurred when an SUV collided with a city bus in Los Angeles, resulting in two fatalities and six injuries, as reported by officials. Pictures and videos circulating online depicted an SUV half-integrated into the side of an MTA bus and a large contingent of fire personnel working around the wreckage.