US officials said at least three people were killed when two firefighting helicopters collided while on duty in Riverside County, in the southern state of California on August 6 (local time).
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| US: Two firefighting helicopters collide in California, at least 3 people killed |
Speaking at a press conference on August 7, David Fulcher, the director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) in charge of the Southern California region, said that one helicopter landed safely, while the other helicopter crashed, killing three people. The victims included two Cal Fire employees and a contract pilot. The collision also caused the fire to spread to 1.6 hectares, but it has been extinguished.
Earlier, Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Department resources were dispatched to extinguish a house fire near Broadway and South Ronda Avenue in the Cabazon community. However, by the time the first firefighters arrived on scene, the fire was reported to have spread to vegetation. Authorities have been actively battling the fire in the area, including both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.
The National Transportation Safety Committee is investigating the cause of the collision.
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