• California
• Fullerton
• Plane Crash

TWO KILLED, 19 INJURED IN CALIFORNIA PLANE CRASH

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  Nicolas Adekeye / 3 weeks
• 0
• 2 min read

A devastating plane crash occurred in Southern California on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuring 19 others. The incident happened when a small plane crashed through the roof of a furniture manufacturing building in Fullerton, where at least 200 people were working. According to the Fullerton Police Department, the two people who died were believed to be on the plane, while those injured were inside the building. The identities of the deceased victims will be released after officials have contacted their next of kin. Eleven people were taken to hospitals, while eight were treated and released at the scene. The injuries ranged from minor to very serious, said Michael Meacham, Fullerton deputy chief of fire operations. The plane, a single-engine, four-seat Van’s RV-10, took off from the Fullerton Municipal Airport and crashed less than two minutes later, about 1,000 feet short of the runway. The pilot had asked for an immediate return to the airport at about 900 feet and the tower confirmed it could immediately land, but the pilot did not state the reason for the emergency landing. Eliott Simpson, a National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident investigator, said the crash is currently under investigation. Security camera footage showed the plane was tilted on its side as it dove into the building, causing a fiery explosion and black plume of smoke. Chris Villalobos, an airport operations worker, said the airplane’s owner was a regular at the airport and had frequently taken off from there. “He has a hangar here and everything,” Villalobos said. The Fullerton City Council expressed their condolences, calling the crash a “solemn tragedy.” Mayor Fred Jung said in a statement, “The City of Fullerton is committed to providing support for all those affected and working with the agencies involved to uncover the details of this incident.”