A small private jet exploded into flames after crashing into a busy residential neighborhood about 17 miles east of San Diego on Monday night. The crash is thought to have happened when the aircraft, a Learjet 35, hit a power line and smashed onto a road in San Diego, California. The source of the crash sight is being investigated with police assuming that anyone on board is dead.
Horrifying images and videos posted on social media appear to show the lights of the plane in the night sky as it falls to the ground and violently explodes. The crash has also caused more than 2,500 customers in the area to go without power.
Horrifying Scenes
San Diego sheriff's Lt. Mike Krugh told The San Diego Union Tribune that the Learjet 35A, crashed around 7.15 pm near Pepper Drive and Somerlane Street, a little west of North Second Street after hitting a power line. The aircraft exploded immediately after that. The jet was flying out of John Wayne Airport in Orange County
Multiple videos on social media show fire and smoke coming out of the area. A Facebook livestream showed a car on fire in front of a house and debris in the street. There is still no confirmation on how many people were on board but fire officials are working under the assumption that they are dead, authorities told a local NBC station.
As of now no fatalities have been reported on ground. Other footage shows a large ball of flames on the ground as fire crews tackled it.
Local residents said the jet almost immediately crashed onto the road after hitting the power line. A resident told NBC7: "We were outside and basically, we heard the plane getting closer."
"Normally they get loud because we live right by the airport, but it got really, really loud and all of the sudden, we think it could've hit our power lines above our house, but we just saw bright blue and orange flashing lights and we heard the electricity running. And then after that, we heard the plane actually crash. We ran out immediately and there was a ton of smoke everywhere. All we saw was fire and smoke," the resident said.
Too Tragic
Another resident told NBC 7 that he heard a plane flying too low.
"I heard the pops and I just knew at that point, and I was worried if it hit any houses," he said.
"I went outside with a couple of neighbours just to see, and all I could see were flames in front of houses, up at the top of the street."
Rescue operation is on but nothing has been found it. Also, the cause of the crash is yet to be determined. "There is very little left of the aircraft," Fire Chief Don Butz said. "We weren't able to find any survivors."
Rescue workers also found a car with some damage from the crash but due to rainy conditions and darkness outside, they didn't know if any further damage was caused at other homes or properties. The fire was put out by 9 pm local time.
However, since the jet hit the power line, around 2,500 residents in El Cajon have been left without power. Local power officials said they will likely have their power restored by early Tuesday morning.
