Pallade Veneta - Three dead as firefighting helicopters collide in California

The helicopters were dispatched to fight a building fire that had spread to brush in Cabazon, a community some 85 miles (137 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, on Sunday evening when they collided in mid-air, Cal Fire Southern Region chief David Fulcher told reporters.

One helicopter was able to land safely nearby, with no injuries reported among the two people on board.

"Unfortunately, the second helicopter crashed, and tragically all three members perished, which included one Cal Fire division chief, one Cal Fire fire captain and one contract client pilot," Fulcher said.

He expressed condolences to the families of those who died, adding: "This was a tragic loss for the community" and California's firefighting operations.

Authorities said the blaze began in a building and had grown to about three acres (1.2 hectares) in Cabazon as firefighters responded.

The helicopter that landed safely was a Sikorsky Skycrane, used to carry liquid that is dropped on blazes, although Fulcher said it was not immediately clear whether it was carrying water or a chemical retardant.

The chopper that crashed was a Bell helicopter flying in an observation and coordination capacity.

Both helicopters were owned and operated by a company contracted with Cal Fire, according to Fulcher. Other aircraft dispatched in the operation included two fixed-wing tanker planes and a Cal Fire helicopter, all of which landed without incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the collision.

The fatal incident comes 11 months after a Cal Fire helicopter crash-landed near Banning, just a few miles away, injuring three people.

California firefighters battle thousands of wildfires each year, with summer months particularly susceptible to blazes. An ongoing fire south of the city of Fresno has consumed 5,200 acres and is zero percent contained, Cal Fire reports.

M.Romero--PV