Helicopter Responding to Brush Fire in Riverside County Crashes
A tragic incident occurred on Sunday night in Riverside County when a firefighting helicopter crashed while responding to a brush fire, according to KTLA.
The crash took place in a remote area near Pipeline Road and Apache Trail in Cabazon at approximately 7:30 p.m., as reported by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
The location of the crash is near the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, which is situated about a mile away.
It is still unknown how many people were onboard the helicopter that crashed mid-air and the extent of their injuries, or whether any fatalities occurred.
The situation is still under investigation, and authorities are working to gather all the necessary details regarding the incident.
The incident occurred on Native American land, where firefighters were actively fighting a 20-acre fire they called the Broadway Fire at the time of the collision, CBS News noted.
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Aviation Accident Kills 3
Tragedy struck on Sunday when two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air, resulting in three fatalities.
The victims were identified as a CAL FIRE division chief, a CAL FIRE fire captain, and a contract pilot. Their names and ages have not been released, as per KRON4 reports.
During the collision, one of the helicopters was able to land safely, and no injuries were reported among its crew. However, the second helicopter crashed, tragically claiming the lives of all passengers onboard.
The collision led to an additional four-acre brush fire, which was subsequently extinguished by responding fire crews.
Both helicopters involved in the incident were contracted with CAL FIRE and were part of firefighting efforts across the state.
In a press conference, a CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire spokesperson expressed the agency's deepest sympathies and sorrow to the families and coworkers of the personnel involved in the crash.
The loss of three brave individuals is a tragic blow to the firefighting community and the wider community they served.
Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the mid-air collision.
The National Transportation Safety Board has taken over the investigation, and more details are expected to be released on Monday morning.
The Broadway Fire
A brush fire that started on Sunday evening in Cabazon, named the Broadway Fire, has burned approximately three acres, Desert Sun noted.
Cal Fire tweeted at 7:13 p.m., about an hour after the initial report, that the forward rate of spread had been stopped, indicating that firefighters were able to contain the fire's spread effectively.
The fire was first reported at 6:03 p.m. near Broadway and Esperanza avenues in Cabazon.
Initially, there was a moderate rate of spread due to the presence of light and easily ignitable fuels in the area.
The fire occurred in a region that was under an excessive heat warning until 8 p.m. on Monday.
With forecasted high temperatures in Cabazon expected to be in the upper 90s, the heat poses additional challenges for firefighters as they work to fully control and extinguish the fire.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: Fiery mid-air collision involving firefighting helicopter in Riverside County - From KCAL News
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