CABAZON, Calif. (AP) — Three individuals have been killed when two firefighting helicopters collided in Southern California on Sunday whereas combating a blaze in Riverside County.
One of the helicopters landed safely. “Unfortunately, the second helicopter crashed and tragically all three members perished, which included one Cal Fire Division chief, one Cal Fire captain and one contract client pilot,” Cal Fire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher mentioned throughout a information convention early Monday.
Fulcher didn’t determine the victims.
Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Department sources had been dispatched to a construction hearth close to the intersection of Broadway Street and South Ronda Avenue in the neighborhood of Cabazon, Fulcher mentioned. That blaze unfold into the encircling vegetation and a full wildland hearth dispatch was initiated, which included fixed-wing and rotary-wing plane.
While battling the blaze, the 2 helicopters collided. The crash prompted an extra 4-acre (1.6-hectare) hearth, which was extinguished.
“Although this was a tragic event, we are also thankful today that it wasn’t worse,” Fulcher mentioned. “The individuals in the first helicopter were able to able to land safely without incident and no one else was hurt.”
The helicopter pilot was performing work below contract with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, hearth captain and spokesman Richard Cordova mentioned Sunday night.
The crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”