Three people were killed after two firefighting helicopters collided after responding to a fire in Cabazon, California Sunday night (August 6).
In a news conference the next day (August 7), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said the collision happened after the helicopters responded to a structure fire near the intersection of Broadway Street and South Ronda Avenue in Riverside County.
Cal Fire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher identified the victims as one Cal Fire Division Chief, one Cal Fire captain, and one contract client pilot but fell short of revealing their names.
According to CBS's Los Angeles bureau, the collision happened over Native American land.
Additional Fireball
Fulcher added the fire spread into the vegetation surrounding the fire scene, prompting them to deploy their firefighting aircraft.
The first helicopter, a Sikorsky Skycrane, which could carry a water tank to fight fires from the air, had safely landed near Pipeline Road and Apache Trail when the second one, a Bell helicopter used as an observation aircraft, and where all the deceased were aboard, collided before hitting the ground and producing a massive fireball about 1.6-hectares wide.
The fire from the crash was extinguished soon after.
"Although this was a tragic event, we are also thankful today that it wasn't worse," Fulcher said. "The individuals in the first helicopter were able to land safely without incident and no one else was hurt."
The incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
This is a developing story. Please follow HNGN for more updates.
