Several people were killed Thursday morning when a small private plane crashed into a residential neighbourhood in Murphy Canyon, San Diego, California, authorities said.
The aircraft, a Cessna 550, slammed into multiple homes, setting buildings and vehicles ablaze. Emergency responders said “multiple fatalities” occurred among those on board the plane. However, no residents in the neighborhood were seriously injured, despite the scale of destruction.
According to Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy, the crash resulted in “jet fuel all over the place,” and firefighters prioritized evacuating homes and searching for survivors. The plane reportedly made a “direct hit” on several houses.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the aircraft type and said it could carry up to 10 people. The identities of those on board have not yet been released.
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Footage from the scene shows several charred vehicles and burned-out structures. Around 100 people were evacuated as a safety precaution while emergency services continued to work in the area. Police confirmed that one person was hospitalized, while two others were treated and released.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos. One local resident, Christopher Moore, told the Associated Press that he and his family woke up to a loud bang, saw smoke outside their window, and immediately fled the house with their two children. “It was horrifying,” he said. “We just ran for safety.”
A U.S. Marine living nearby described hearing a strange whistling sound followed by a loud explosion and his house shaking.
The aircraft was believed to be en route to Montgomery Field Airport, about six miles north of downtown San Diego, when it went down.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, and the area remains cordoned off as crews assess the damage and clean up hazardous materials.
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