NBC helicopter crash in Los Angeles: Check chilling visuals of the NewsChopper4 crashing, bursting into flames

An NBC News helicopter crashed and burst into flames in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, killing at least three people, while television crews were covering a separate deadly SUV and bus collision nearby.

The helicopter, identified as NewsChopper4 and operated by Angel City Air, crashed shortly before 7 p.m. in Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley.

Also Read: ‘You can’t pull up?’: Chilling final audio captures panic moments before NBC Los Angeles helicopter crashes, killing three

Watch: NBC helicopter crashes in Los Angeles

Videos from the scene show the aftermath of the helicopter crash, with flames and smoke rising near a commercial building as emergency crews rushed to the area.

The crash happened while several news helicopters were covering an earlier accident involving an SUV and an MTA bus, around 1.6 kilometres away.

NBC4 Los Angeles anchor Colleen Williams confirmed the crash during a live broadcast. “We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it,” she said, visibly shaken, before the station's coverage abruptly cut off.

3 killed, one hospitalised

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Branden Silverman said at least three people were killed in the helicopter crash.

Also Read: Who is Eliana Moreno? NBCLA aerial reporter feared aboard crashed NewsChopper 4

At least one of those killed was outside in a parking lot next to a commercial building, officials said. It was not immediately clear whether the other two victims were on the ground or inside the helicopter.

One person was taken to hospital, although their condition was not known.

Silverman said the helicopter was “pretty well destroyed” and that officials were searching through the wreckage to determine how many people were aboard.

SUV crashes into MTA bus

The helicopter was covering another crash that had happened about two hours earlier.

An SUV slammed into the middle of an MTA city bus, killing at least two people and injuring six others.

Videos and images from the scene showed part of the SUV lodged inside the bus.

The NBC helicopter went down about 1.6 kilometres from the bus crash while news crews were covering the incident.

Helicopter crash sparks fire

The helicopter crash also caused fires on the ground. At least four cars and two storage containers were damaged by the flames, officials said.

More than 50 firefighters responded to the scene, and the fire was quickly brought under control.

NTSB, FAA to investigate crash

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration will investigate what caused the helicopter to crash.

The agencies said an investigator would be sent to the scene on Wednesday.

California Governor Gavin Newsom thanked emergency crews responding to both crashes and said his thoughts were with the victims and their families.