A news helicopter in Los Angeles crashed and burst into flames while covering a deadly bus accident on Tuesday evening.

At least three people were reported killed and a fourth was injured.

The helicopter crashed near a storage building in the Chatsworth neighborhood, northwest of downtown Los Angeles. 

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department said at least one person was killed in the parking lot next to the building, adding it was currently unclear if the other two victims were on the ground or inside the aircraft. He said officials were combing the wreckage.

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

Cause of crash unknown

The local affiliate of US broadcaster NBC confirmed the helicopter was NewsChopper4, which had been en route to cover a deadly collision between an SUV and a city bus that killed two people.

There has been no immediate confirmation of the identity of those on board the helicopter, however, NBC reported it has been unable to contact the crew.

Reporters at the scene of the bus accident said the helicopter crashed about a mile (1.6 kilometers) away. 

The fire department said dozens of firefighters had been dispatched to the incident and quickly extinguished the flaming wreckage. Aerial footage showed remains of the tail and rotor among storage containers and vehicles.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched an investigation into what caused the crash.

Helicopters are frequently used in Los Angeles to provide live aerial coverage of news events in the second largest city in the US.  

Edited by: Natalie Muller

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