Helicopter crash kills at least 3 people in Los Angeles

A helicopter crashed into a parking lot in Los Angeles on Tuesday, killing at least three people, US officials said. A fourth person was taken to hospital in unclear condition.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said it was still working to determine how many of the victims had been on board the aircraft. At least one person killed was on the ground outside, spokesperson Captain Branden Silverman told reporters.

"We're trying to determine how many patients were inside the helicopter," Silverman said.

The helicopter came down into a parking lot serving a large single-storey building, striking or landing near several parked vehicles.

The crash occurred near the scene of a separate deadly bus accident, though the connection between the two incidents, if any, was not immediately clear.

According to the fire department, more than 50 firefighters responded to the helicopter crash. The fire had damaged four vehicles and two storage containers but was out by Tuesday evening, according to officials.

Silverman described the helicopter as “pretty well destroyed” and said they’re going to have to go through the rubble to see how many victims were on board.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will be handling the investigation.

Earlier in the day, two people were killed and six others were injured after an SUV crashed into a city bus in Los Angeles, officials said. Photos and videos online showed around half of an SUV lodged into the side of an MTA bus and a large group of fire crew working around the crash.