Late on Sunday night, officials reported a tragic incident in the Southern California town of Cabazon, where a collision between two helicopters occurred during firefighting efforts, resulting in the loss of three lives.
During a press conference, CalFire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher shared that while the first helicopter was able to make a safe landing in close proximity, the second helicopter unfortunately crashed, leading to the devastating loss of all three crew members.
The firefighters who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident were identified as a contracted pilot, a CalFire division chief, and a CalFire captain, Fulcher disclosed.
At the time of the collision, six aircraft were engaged in responding to the Broadway Fire, which initially ignited after a structure fire extended to the surrounding vegetation, according to the region chief’s account.
The Broadway Fire had spread across approximately three acres by the time firefighters arrived around 6 p.m., as detailed in a post shared on a joint Twitter account representing CalFire and the Riverside County Fire Department. The combined efforts of the agencies successfully halted the fire’s progression shortly after 7 p.m.
Regrettably, a second fire spanning four acres was triggered by the helicopter crash. However, Fulcher confirmed that this secondary blaze has since been extinguished.
These casualties mark the first of California’s 2023 fire season, as documented by CalFire data.
Fulcher expressed his heartfelt condolences and sorrow on behalf of the entire community, the firefighting community, as well as CalFire and the Riverside County Fire Department. He extended his sympathies to the families and colleagues of the personnel affected by this tragic loss.
