Small Plane Carrying 6 Crashes In US' Philadelphia, Sparks Massive Fire; Multiple Casualties Feared

A small aircraft crashed and ignited a large fire in a Philadelphia neighbourhood on Friday, according to AFP, citing local media reports.

The plane, which was carrying at least two people, went down near a shopping centre, causing multiple casualties on the ground, Reuters reported.

Photo Credit: X

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management confirmed on social media that a "major incident" had occurred in the area but did not provide further details.

"Major incident near Cottman and Bustleton Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia, opposite Roosevelt Mall. Roads in the area, including parts of Roosevelt Boulevard, are closed. Avoid the area," the city's emergency management office posted on X.

Images shared on social media showed the aircraft had crashed close to a row of houses, with numerous firefighters and emergency responders at the scene.

According to the Associated Press, flight data indicated that a small jet departed the airport at 6:06 pm (local time) and disappeared from radar approximately 30 seconds later, after reaching an altitude of 1,600 feet.

The crash site is roughly 4.8 kilometres from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which mainly serves business jets and charter flights.

A local resident told AP that he heard a loud explosion and felt his house shake. "There was a huge blast, and for a moment, I thought we were under attack," he said.

The incident comes just days after a passenger jet collided with an Army helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC.

All 64 passengers on board the jet, as well as the three people in the helicopter, lost their lives in what became the deadliest air crash in the United States in over two decades.

The collision took place in heavily congested airspace near the US capital, an area frequently traversed by low-flying commercial aircraft and military helicopters.

The accident has also raised concerns about how a passenger plane, equipped with modern collision-avoidance technology, could crash into a military aircraft in such a busy airspace.