A twin-engine small plane, which is believed to be a medical transport jet, crashed in a residential neighborhood in Philadelphia, United States, resulting in 6 deaths, injuries and a fire at the accident site.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that a Learjet 55, with at least two people on board, took off from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport bound for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before crashing near the intersection of Cotton and Roosevelt streets.
Local media quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the plane crashed into a building before catching fire, which spread to a number of nearby vehicles, causing a powerful explosion that lit up the sky in the area and required an intensive response from fire and emergency teams.
On its part, the Philadelphia Emergency Office confirmed the accident, noting that roads in the area were closed, while investigations are still ongoing to determine the causes of the accident.
"A child patient and her mother were on board along with four crew members on the ambulance jet," Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold said, adding that "this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training."
First responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia. (Source: Associated Press)
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