At least three people died Tuesday evening when a helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth. The incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. local time, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The fiery crash happened on Mason Avenue and resulted in damage to four vehicles and two storage containers. In addition to the fatalities, one person was transported to the hospital with injuries of unknown severity. The LA Fire Department confirmed that one of the deceased was a pedestrian on the ground.

Coincidentally, the helicopter crash occurred near the site of an earlier fatal collision that involved a Metro bus and an SUV. That separate accident, which happened about a block and a half away, claimed the lives of two individuals and left several others injured, as reported by ABC Los Angeles station KABC.

The cause of the helicopter crash remains unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are expected to lead the investigation into the incident. Authorities are working to determine the factors that led to the catastrophic event.

This dual tragedy in close proximity has raised concerns and prompted investigations into the circumstances surrounding both accidents. The proximity of the two fatal incidents, occurring within hours of each other in the same general area, underscores the gravity of the day's events in Chatsworth.

Officials are reviewing the sequence of events and any potential contributing factors for both the bus collision and the helicopter crash. The NTSB and FAA will conduct thorough examinations of the helicopter wreckage, flight data, and witness accounts to ascertain the cause.

Details regarding the identities of the victims have not yet been released. The community is awaiting further information as the investigations progress and the full scope of the impact of these two tragic events becomes clearer.

This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available from official sources.