Several people were killed when a small plane crashed into a mobile home in Clearwater, Florida, Thursday night, authorities said, sparking a fire that also damaged multiple surrounding homes.
The crash was reported at 7:08 p.m. in Bayside Estates, a large mobile home park, Clearwater Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Ehlers told reporters in a news briefing late Thursday night. Clearwater is located in the Tampa Bay area.
“I can confirm we have several fatalities both from the aircraft and within the mobile home,” Ehlers said. “We’re still working to make sure that there is no additional, and it’s limited to what we do know right now.”
The fire chief was unable to immediately say exactly how many people were killed, and the Federal Aviation Administration did not confirm how many people were aboard the plane.
“The crews did a phenomenal job of getting the fire knocked down quickly,” Ehlers said, adding that crews were still working to put out hot spots and reach the victims.
The FAA confirmed the crashed plane was a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35.
Ehlers said the plane crashed into only one home. However, the ensuing fire damaged at least two others, he disclosed.
“The aircraft was found in the one structure, predominantly in that one structure,” Ehlers said.
Just prior to the crash, Ehlers said, the pilot reported to air traffic controllers at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport that the plane “had some trouble.”
“During that conversation with air tower, the air tower lost them off radar, about three miles north of the runway,” Ehlers said.
The FAA said in its statement that the pilot reported an “engine failure.” Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are responding and will investigate.
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