The Santee Fire Department said that there were “at least” two fatalities related to the crash, but did not confirm who had died, the cause of the crash and the number of structures affected. UPS released a statement Monday evening confirming that one of its employees had been killed, offering condolences to the driver’s family and friends.
The crash caused multiple houses to go up in flames, but the fire department said that those had been successfully extinguished. The Santee Twitter account tweeted that there are two known burn victims, but it is not yet known how many people were on the plane that crashed.
A fire official said San Diego Gas and Electric said that the damage from the crash extends several blocks from the impact site.
The live updates for this event have ended.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our employee, and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. We also send our condolences for the other individuals who are involved in this incident, and their families and friends,” the company said in a statement.
A fire official said earlier that at least two people were killed in the crash, but did not confirm whether the driver of a UPS truck reportedly struck by the plane was among the fatalities.
“It felt like a bomb went off,” he said.
Pelloth said that he ran to the front door after the plane struck and saw a box truck, presumed to be the one from UPS, engulfed in flames, but was not able to see the plane. He retrieved his own fire extinguisher and watched other residents of the neighborhood ripping down fences and climbing in the window of one of the houses that went up in flames.
“It was just a madhouse out here,” he said.
He said that the husband and wife inside one of the engulfed houses were able to escape, commending the efforts of his neighbors in coming to their aid.
“It’s amazing how the community just comes together when something like this happens,” he said.
The FAA confirmed that a 340A twin-engine Cessna plane crashed into the residential area at 12:14 local time. The agency does not know how many people were on board the aircraft and will provide an update later.
The aircraft was reportedly coming from Yuma, Arizona and heading to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego.
In 2015, there was a fatal plane crash in Santee that killed one person and injured another about four miles from Monday’s crash, KSWB reported.
The firefighter said officials had not yet confirmed who had died, the cause of the crash and the number of structures affected.
KNSD’s Dana Griffin said two houses were damaged and a box truck on the street is “beyond recognizable.”
A fire official said San Diego Gas and Electric was on the scene to cut gas and power lines for at least ten homes. He added that the damage from the crash extends several blocks from the impact site.
The Cameron Family YMCA on Riverwalk Drive in Santee will act as the safe area, according to the San Diego Sheriff’s Office.
His mother was pulled out of a back window by a neighbor and witnesses said she had burns on her face. Her husband was in the backyard at the time.
Slaff said the couple was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. He said his mother has beaten cancer several times and her breast cancer recently came back.
“It’s mind-boggling,” he said. “It’s a war zone, it’s not even a house.”
Unfortunately, Slaff said the couple’s dog does not appear to have gotten out of the home.
The Santee Twitter account tweeted that there are two known burn victims and possible fatalities, but it is not yet known how many people were on the plane that crashed. A fire hydrant was also struck during the crash, the city said.
The advisory said the winds could blow down trees or power lines and could result in “poor visibility” in desert areas due to blowing sand and dust.
At least two houses were on fire after the plane crashed.
The Santee Fire Department said that it transported the patients from the scene of the crash near the 9900 block of North Magnolia Avenue, FOX 5 reported.
Another local resident shared an image on Twitter of where a plane crashed into a home, resulting in a fiery scene in a Santee neighborhood.