A small plane crashed into a commercial warehouse in Fullerton, California, killing two people and injuring 18.
“A small plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing building in Fullerton in our district,” Representative Lou Correa, the local congressman, wrote on X. “At least a dozen workers injured hurt. Passengers’ status unknown.”
The crash on Thursday occurred near the Fullerton Municipal Airport and prompted the evacuation of more than 100 people from inside the building, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The aircraft appeared to crash through the roof of a furniture manufacturing facility, starting a fire, according to overhead footage from news stations.
Among the injured, ten people were taken to area hospitals and eight people were treated and released on scene, according to the Fullerton Police Department.
Active Investigation Update:
— Fullerton PD (@FPDPIO) January 3, 2025
There are two confirmed fatalities, ten individuals were transported to area hospitals for treatment and eight individuals were treated and released on scene. The investigation is on going. https://t.co/CiLra4HYFv
The aircraft was a single-engine Van’s RV-10, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Police got a report about the crash at 2:09pm, a Fullerton spokesperson told The Associated Press.
Bystanders reported seeing a plume of smoke rise from the building.
“People are just shaken over the situation,” local man Mark Anderson told NBC Los Angeles. “It was just a large boom, and then one of the people went out and said, ‘Oh my gosh, the building’s on fire.’”
Witness Javier Ruiz said he saw someone emerge from the building with injuries.
"His shirt was burned, his shoes were burned, his face," Ruiz told CBS Los Angeles. "It looked like something from a movie."
At 3:25pm, fire officials said the blaze that followed the crash was extinguished.
The building where the crash took place is occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to the outlet.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
In November, two people were in a plane that crashed into a tree while making an emergency landing near the Fullerton airport.
No one sustained serious injuries in that incident.
