A private jet crashed into a residential area in San Diego’s Murphy Canyon on Thursday, killing multiple people onboard and setting more than 10 homes and several vehicles ablaze in what officials have described as a “horrific” scene.
Authorities confirmed the aircraft involved was a Cessna 550, a small business jet commonly used for private and corporate travel. The plane went down around 3:45am local time in dense fog, hitting homes and vehicles with what emergency crews called a “direct hit.”
At a news conference, San Diego Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy said, “There is jet fuel all over the place,” adding that multiple homes were engulfed in flames. “Every single car was burning down both sides of the street,” Eddy said, describing the aftermath of the crash. One car fire remains “stubborn” and is yet to be extinguished.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene within six minutes of the distress call, which came in at 3:47am, according to San Diego’s Fire and Rescue Service. More than 100 residents have been displaced, and evacuations were underway on several streets near the crash site.
Assistant Chief Eddy confirmed that the fatalities were all from the aircraft. “All the fatalities look to be the ones from the plane,” he stated, adding that there were no serious injuries reported among residents of the affected homes. The total number of casualties is still being determined in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but officials say it is accurate to report “multiple fatalities.”
The Jet, typically operated by a pilot and co-pilot and capable of carrying up to eight passengers, was reportedly en route to Montgomery Field, a small airport nearby. Authorities say the aircraft was registered out of the Midwest, but they are yet to determine how many people were onboard or whether the pilot issued a distress call before the crash.
San Diego Police Chief, Scott Wahl, also speaking at the scene, expressed condolences to the families affected. “I can’t quite put into words to describe what the scene looks like,” he said. “It was pretty horrific to see the homes on fire and jet fuel flowing down the street.”
Wahl said the police are managing traffic and helping with evacuations, while also working closely with fire and federal investigators. Two nearby schools have been closed, and residents are being urged to report any strong smells of jet fuel or sightings of debris.
Murphy Canyon is a densely populated neighbourhood, home to around 9,600 residents, many of whom are active-duty military personnel. The neighbourhood sits along Interstate 15 and is known as one of the most military-concentrated communities in the United States.
One evacuated resident, Christopher Moore, told the Associated Press (AP) how he and his wife were startled awake by the explosion. “We looked out the window and saw smoke, so we grabbed our two young children and fled,” he said. “It was definitely horrifying for sure, but sometimes you’ve just got to drop your head and get to safety.”
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