Three people are dead after a pair of helicopters assisting in stopping a fire in Southern California collided in mid-air, according to local officials.
The blaze was burning in the community of Cabazon, California, late on Sunday night, according to CalFire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher.
The victims were identified as CAL FIRE Assistant Chief Josh Bischof, CAL FIRE Fire Captain Tim Rodriguez, and contract Pilot Tony Sousa.
"On behalf of all Californians, our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with the loved ones, friends and CAL FIRE colleagues mourning the loss of Assistant Chief Bischof, Fire Captain Rodriguez, and Pilot Sousa," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. "This terrible tragedy is a reminder of the dangers our courageous firefighters face daily while working to keep our communities safe. We owe them our deepest respect and gratitude and will always honor their bravery and sacrifices.”
Fulcher spoke during a news conference, saying that the collision didn’t result in the total destruction of both helicopters.
“The first helicopter was able to land safely nearby. Unfortunately, the second helicopter crashed, and tragically all three members perished,” Fulcher said in a news conference.
Fulcher shared that the victims included a contracted helicopter pilot, a CalFire division chief, and a CalFire captain.
“I would like to express our deepest sympathies and sorrow to the families and coworkers of the personnel,” Fulcher said. “This was a tragic loss for the community, the fire service community and CalFire, and Riverside County Fire Department.”
A post shared on the CalFire Twitter account shared that the fire covered about three acres and that firefighters responded at around 6 p.m. After nearly an hour of fighting the blaze, the department shared that the “forward rate of spread” was stopped.
The blaze was started on Sunday after a structure fire spread to nearby vegetation, according to CalFire.
Fulcher shared that the helicopter crash resulted in a second four-acre fire, but it has since been extinguished.
The deaths were the first of the state’s 2023 fire season, according to the agency.
The crash is expected to be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, Fulcher shared during the conference.
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