Five people are dead after a plane crashed near a post office in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Saturday. New Orleans television station WDSU said one of its sports reporters, Carley McCord, 30, died in the crash.
The Lafayette Fire Department identified the other victims as pilot Ian Biggs, 59; Robert Vaughn Crisp II, 59; Gretchen D. Vincent, 51; and Michael Walker Vincent, 15. One passenger survived and was in critical condition.
McCord’s husband, Steven Ensminger Jr., is the son of the offensive coordinator for the Louisiana State University football team, and told the Associated Press she was riding in a private plane to Atlanta to watch LSU play Oklahoma.
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In a statement, WDSU said it was “devastated by the loss of such an amazing talent and valued member of our WDSU family.”
Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit said the aircraft was an eight-passenger plane, according to CBS affiliate KLFY. Three people who were not passengers suffered injuries.
A Walmart in the area was evacuated as a precaution.
Eyewitnesses told KLFY they heard sounds “like a semi-truck” as lights went out at homes and businesses near the site of the crash in Lafayette, which is about 130 miles west of New Orleans.
“I was right outside before the crash,” said local resident Kevin Jackson. “I noticed (the plane) was low and smoking like hell.”
“It shook my trailer,” he said. “I knew something was bad. I went in my house, and all you heard was this massive explosion.”
CBS News’ David Begnaud reported the plane landed in a post office parking lot and skidded into a field after crashing into a car.
Video and images from the scene of the crash showed black smoke billowing.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called news of the crash heartbreaking and asked that people pray for the families and friends of those affected.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
