•Scene of the incident
A small plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego early this morning, sparking fires that engulfed about 15 homes and multiple vehicles.
The incident occurred during dense fog, prompting emergency evacuations across several blocks, according to local authorities, reports The San-Diego Union Tribune.
“We have jet fuel all over the place. Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now,” said Assistant Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy during a press briefing.
Eddy described the crash site as having “a direct hit to multiple homes” in the city’s Murphy Canyon neighborhood, and referred to the aftermath as “a gigantic debris field.”
Visibility was severely limited at the time of the crash.
“You could barely see in front of you,” Eddy noted, emphasising the challenging conditions faced by first responders.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the aircraft, a Cessna 550, went down at approximately 3:45 a.m. near the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.
“The number of people on board is unknown at this time,” the FAA said in a statement.
The Cessna 550 is typically capable of carrying six to eight passengers.
According to the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will take over the investigation into the cause of the crash. As of now, there have been no confirmed reports of injuries.
