A small plane crashed in Philadelphia 30 seconds after takeoff on Friday night. Rescue teams responded to scenes of fire, said the governor of Pennsylvania. The crash site is less than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves commercial jets and charter flights.
Governor Josh Shapiro said that he is offering all "resources as they respond to the small private plane accident in northeast Philadelphia."
According to the initial information from NBC News, it was an air ambulance carrying six people, all mexicans, including a little girl who was receiving treatment in Philadelphia.
What is known about the accident?
The Philadelphia emergency management office said there was a "major incident" at the accident site and that the roads are closed in the area.
In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration reported that the plane was a Learjet 55 heading to the Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri and crashed around 6:30 p.m., shortly after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The final destination was Tijuana, in Mexico.
The first video images show an aircraft descending at high speed with flames until it crashes into a neighborhood and generates a large explosion.
A photo posted on the social platform X by the Philadelphia Emergency Management Office showed a thick cloud of smoke in the sky near the Roosevelt shopping center, where rescuers were blocking traffic and onlookers were crowded on a corner.
The plane crashed at a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping center with dozens of stores and restaurants in the residential neighborhood of Rhawnhurst.
According to NBC News, three houses are reported to be on fire in the area. Witnesses also reported several cars on fire.