At least two people were killed when a tiny plane crashed into a residential area in southern California. In the city of Santee, a suburb northeast of San Diego, footage from the site showed burnt residences and a scorched delivery vehicle.
According to NPR, a UPS delivery driver was among those killed in the collision.
The plane, a twin-engine Cessna C340, crashed into a residential area on Monday at 12:14 p.m. local time.
According to San Diego County spokesperson Donna Durckel, the jet took off from Yuma, Ariz., and planned to land at San Diego’s Montgomery Field, according to NPR station KPBS. However, the pilot experienced an emergency and had to make a crash landing, according to Durckel.
“Not to be too explicit, but it’s a really terrible image,” Santee’s assistant fire chief Justin Matsushita told The Associated Press.
According to the City of Santee, two more patients were taken to a hospital in uncertain condition, in addition to the two fatalities. A block-long area is littered with debris, and the power has been cut off in the area.
Yuma Regional Medical Center told NPR in a statement that the jet was owned by a local doctor who perished in the incident.
“We are extremely saddened to learn about the disaster near Santee of an aircraft owned by local cardiologist Dr. Sugata Das,” stated Dr. Bharat Magu, Chief Medical Officer at YRMC. “Dr. Das leaves a long legacy as an accomplished cardiologist and devoted family guy. During this sad moment, we send our prayers and support to his family, colleagues, and friends.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have announced that they will examine the incident.
The plane collided with two houses: “One house was completely demolished, while another was half demolished. Neighbors assisted two people in evacuating one of the houses. It was unknown whether anyone was inside the other house at the time. The residence has an ongoing gas leak, which prevents investigators from conducting a full investigation “According to KPBS, a UPS vehicle was also damaged.
The San Diego Sheriff’s Department has requested anybody who has photographs or videos of the collision to contact them. Roads in the vicinity have been closed by the department.
Credit: NPR