Latest news with #SanDiegoFireDepartment
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
All six passengers believed dead after small plane crash in San Diego
All six people on board a small plane are believed to have died when the aircraft crashed in the western US city of San Diego, officials said on Friday. Asked if anyone on the plane survived, the assistant chief of the San Diego Fire Department, Dan Eddy, answered: "I don't know on that point, but no, I don't believe so." The small Cessna aircraft crashed early on Thursday, leaving a sea of flames on a residential street in the California city. The fire department said most of the flames were quickly contained. At least 10 homes were damaged or destroyed, and several cars burst into flames. About 100 residents were left homeless in the wake of the accident with many placed in hotels, while others found shelter with friends or relatives. The affected area is home to many families with military backgrounds. "I can't quite put words to describe what this scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see" said police chief Scott Wahl. The circumstances surrounding the crash are still unclear, but visibility was poor at the time due to thick fog. The US Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations. Culture magazine Billboard reported that music manager Dave Shapiro, who managed the rock band Sum41, was among the victims. Reports also said the drummer from a metal band called The Devil Wears Prada was on board.
RTHK
23-05-2025
- General
- RTHK
Small plane crashes in Southern California
Small plane crashes in Southern California Investigators look through the site where a small plane crashed on a San Diego residential street. Photo: AFP Several people were killed when a small plane crashed in a California neighbourhood before dawn on Thursday, destroying a home and setting more than a dozen cars on fire. At least 10 houses were hit by debris and vehicles on both sides of a street went up in flames when the Cessna 550 slammed into the ground, spewing burning jet fuel in a part of San Diego that is home to military families. San Diego Fire Department Assistant Chief Dan Eddy told reporters one house had been badly damaged, but that no one on the ground had been seriously hurt. "When (the plane) hit the street, as the jet fuel went down, it took out every single car that was on both sides of the street," he said. The plane had six people aboard, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration. One of the dead was identified as Dave Shapiro, a music agent who founded San Diego-based Sound Talent Group (STG). The company said two other members of staff who were aboard the plane had also died. "We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends," an STG spokesperson told US media. The San Diego Police Department said on Thursday afternoon that at least two people had died, but first responders at the scene said the plane had been totally destroyed and they expected the toll to rise. Investigators were combing the scene, picking through the scattered debris of the plane, which appeared to have broken into hundreds of pieces. Bits of fibreglass were scattered among the twisted and charred remains of cars, and the smell of fuel hung in the air. The accident happened in thick fog when the plane, which had come via Kansas, was nearing the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. It was not immediately clear what had happened, but the fire department's Eddy said a nearby power line appeared to have been clipped. The plane struck the Murphy Canyon neighbourhood, a residential area that is largely military housing. San Diego is home to US Navy facilities, Marine Corps bases and Coast Guard stations. (AFP)
New Straits Times
22-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Several dead in fiery plane crash on California neighbourhood
SAN DIEGO: Several people were killed when a small plane crashed in a California neighbourhood before dawn on Thursday, destroying a home and setting more than a dozen cars on fire. At least 10 houses were hit by debris and vehicles on both sides of a street went up in flames when the Cessna 550 slammed into the ground, spewing burning jet fuel in a part of San Diego that is home to military families. San Diego Fire Department Assistant Chief Dan Eddy told reporters one house had been badly damaged, but that no one on the ground had been seriously hurt. "When (the plane) hit the street, as the jet fuel went down, it took out every single car that was on both sides of the street," he said. The plane had six people aboard, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration. One of the dead was identified as Dave Shapiro, a music agent who founded the San Diego-based Sound Talent Group (STG). The company said two other members of staff who were aboard the plane had also died. "We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends," an STG spokesperson told US media. The San Diego Police Department said Thursday afternoon that at least two people had died, but first responders at the scene said the plane had been totally destroyed and they expected the toll to rise. Yasmine Sierra told AFP how she had helped her neighbours escape their burning house in the middle of the night after being awakened by what she initially thought was an earthquake. "It looked like all the homes were on fire because I could see the smoke and the flames, it looked like the trees were on fire," she said. Moments later she heard screams from her neighbours who were trapped in their back garden. "Me and my son grabbed the ladder, we jumped on our trampoline, and we tried to bounce as much as we possibly could, to throw that ladder over so that they can climb onto the ladder into our backyard," said Sierra, 35. A woman, two children and two small dogs climbed to safety over the ladder. "She was very distraught when she came over. I brought her to the front of the house, and I told her that, you know, we needed to leave." Jeremy Serna, 31, who is in the Navy, said he and his wife had been awoken by a loud bang. "We looked outside, and the sky was orange. And then I came running outside to see what it was, and everything was on fire over here," he told AFP. "I saw the corner house was just engulfed in flames. And then came back over here and told my wife, hey, we have to get out of here." Investigators were combing the scene Thursday, picking through the scattered debris of the plane, which appeared to have broken into hundreds of pieces. Bits of fibreglass were scattered among the twisted and charred remains of cars, and the smell of fuel hung in the air. The accident happened in thick fog when the plane, which had come via Kansas, was nearing the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. It was not immediately clear what had happened, but the fire department's Eddy said a nearby power line appeared to have been clipped. The plane went down around 3.45am (1045 GMT), according to the Federal Aviation Administration, striking the Murphy Canyon neighbourhood. The residential area is largely military housing. San Diego is home to US Navy facilities, Marine Corps bases and Coast Guard stations. The accident came at a time of heightened tension in the skies above America. Air traffic control outages have struck the busy Newark airport on the East Coast at least twice in recent weeks, and in January there was a mid-air collision over Washington between a passenger plane and a military helicopter. This month two people died when their small plane crashed into a residential neighbourhood northwest of Los Angeles.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
'Jet fuel all over': Small plane crashes into San Diego neighborhood, multiple fatalities
'Jet fuel all over': Small plane crashes into San Diego neighborhood, multiple fatalities Show Caption Hide Caption Small plane crashes in San Diego military neighborhood A small plane crashed in a San Diego neighborhood, killing multiple passengers and setting over a dozen homes on fire. SAN DIEGO — At least two people died and eight were hurt when a small plane crashed in Southern California, striking more than a dozen homes and vehicles in a military housing neighborhood and prompting evacuations in the area, officials said. Six people were on board the plane, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Officials said at a late morning news conference after the crash May 22 that it was surprising the loss of life was not greater. "There were many miracles and many acts of heroism," San Diego Councilmember Raul Campillo said. The early morning crash set multiple homes on fire and splattered jet fuel along streets in Tierrasanta, a community located about 10 miles northeast of downtown San Diego. San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy said two people died in the crash. No deaths were reported among people on the ground, but some victims suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, Eddy said. "It's a little bit of a miracle that they got out," of the house that was destroyed, Eddy said, praising the military families who helped their neighbors escape the burning houses. "They did what they always do," Eddy said, "came out for one another and took care of one another." Sophia Ruiz-Gonzalez was visiting family in Orange County when her husband called her from Florida, frantic. He had been woken by alerts on his home's ring camera − neighbors were ringing the doorbell and shouting "Your house is on fire." Ruiz-Gonzalez, who lives a block downhill from where the plane crashed, said neighbors described a rivulet of fire running down the street gutter and setting car after car on fire. Fuel from the airplane spread the impact of the crash across this tight-knit military neighborhood. 'The side of our house was on fire, It melted our gate,' Ruiz-Gonzalez said. 'The fuel just ran down the street.' The crash site itself still smelled of acrid smoke by noon, and a crowd of about 40 film crews had gathered around the charred remains of a home and several cars. Representatives of the San Diego Fire Department, San Diego Police Department and the military described evacuating the scene, putting out fires and evacuating homes. There was dense fog in the area as responders arrived on scene, Eddy noted. At least one home was fully involved, he added, and firefighters went house to house to ensure everyone was out before turning their attention to cars that caught fire. One person was hospitalized, and two others were treated and released, the San Diego Police Department said in an update on social media. The Cessna 550 went down about 3:45 a.m. local time, the FAA reported. It was registered out of the Midwest, Eddy said. The first call came in at 3:47 a.m., he said. "It was unclear if it was a military or private plane," Eddy said. Multiple homes were hit directly by the plane, Eddy said, and the crash caused about 15 homes to catch fire, as well as multiple vehicles. There was a wide debris field for investigators to work, and families in the neighborhood "may be out of their homes for a while." "I just walked it myself, and down the street itself, it looks like something from a movie," Eddy told reporters. He said hazmat teams also responded. "We have jet fuel all over the place," Eddy said. "And we've asked for more resources to come for that." Multiple crews remained on scene and expected to be in the area for 24 hours, Eddy said. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said more than 50 police officers responded to the scene to evacuate homes, lock down streets, and search for survivors. "I can't quite put words to describe what this scene looks like with the jet fuel going down the street and everything on fire at once," Wahl said. The crash displaced at least 100 people, he said. Naval Base San Diego Commanding Officer Captain Bob Heely said the neighborhood is one of the largest military housing bases in the world. Heely said the United Service Organizations − the nation's leading charitable organization in serving active-duty service members and military families − would help assist displaced residents. Where did the plane crash in San Diego? The plane crashed off Santo Road near Sculpin Street, the San Diego Police Department posted on X, adding an evacuation site was set up at Miller Elementary. People were being asked to avoid the area. The area is near the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. It was not immediately known if the plane had taken off or was preparing to land there. Tierrasanta plane crash causes schools to close San Diego Unified School Police confirmed the crash closed Hancock Elementary and Miller Elementary for the day. Miller is where authorities had set up an evacuation site for families whose homes were damaged or destroyed. Both schools are less than a mile from the crash site. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash. USA TODAY has reached out to NSTB. This story has been updated to add new information. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
San Diego plane crash into military housing leaves at least 2 dead, multiple people injured, police say
At least two people are dead and eight others were injured after a small plane crashed into the San Diego military housing neighborhood of Tierrasanta early Thursday morning. At a news conference, San Diego Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy said they are still trying to confirm if the fatalities were people on board the plane. The crash, involving a Cessna 550 plane, occurred near Sculpin Street and Santo Road, close to the 15 Freeway. Capt. Bob Heely, Commanding Officer of the Naval base in San Diego, explained that the neighborhood where the crash occurred is Navy-owned housing. The San Diego Police Department has issued evacuations for Salmon, Sample and Sculpin streets. Miller Elementary School at 4343 Shields Street is currently serving as an evacuation site. Hancock and Miller elementary schools will be closed on Thursday, the San Diego Unified Police said. Police added that southbound Santo Road at Aero Drive will be closed for an unknown duration. "Our city will be supporting these families who are impacted here," said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. "They are part of the military community that makes up our city." After surveying the impacted area, San Diego officials said about 100 people have been displaced and 10 buildings have been damaged. The American Red Cross has responded to the incident and is providing help to the families impacted. A camera crew from the CBS affiliate KFMB-TV captured images of the destruction left behind from the crash, showing debris scattered across lawns. Officials explained that jet fuel from the crash ran down the street, igniting fires on parked cars. "I can't quite put words to describe what this scene looks like, but with the jet fuel going down the street and everything all on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see," said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. Preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration said the plane crashed near the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport around 3:45 a.m. When crews from the San Diego Fire Department arrived on the scene, they quickly worked to extinguish fires at homes and cars. The flight originated from the Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, New Jersey, on Wednesday and made a stop at the Colonel James Jabara Airport in Wichita, Kansas, before heading toward the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, according to FlightAware. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.
