THREE people have died after a plane slammed into a car on a busy road near the Boca Raton airport and burst into flames.
A man who was in the car was rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but all of the passengers on the small plane were killed, police said.
The aircraft plunged to the ground in Boca Raton, Florida, after facing “mechanical issues” on Friday morning, according to Michael LaSalle, assistant fire chief for Boca Fire Rescue.
Horrific footage showed a massive fireball erupting at the scene as debris from the wreckage covered nearby train tracks.
Investigators believe the driver drove through the inferno and crashed into a tree, LaSalle said.
The aircraft, a private Cessna 310 propeller plane, went down at about 10:20 a.m. after departing Boca Raton Airport, according to the FAA.
The flight path showed the plane circling the area multiple times after taking off.
The plane was headed to Tallahassee, but the pilot reported a mechanical problem moments before crashing, cops said.
Police warned residents about the tragedy on Friday morning, urging drivers to stay away from the road where the plane crashed.
The Boca Raton Fire Rescue confirmed the plane crashed into a car, leading both the car and plane to catch fire immediately, Fox reported.
Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said the investigation is still in its early stages.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community,” Singer said in a statement.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Helicopter ‘crashes into Hudson River’ as horrified witnesses describe seeing chopper plunge from sky and into water” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6371325561112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]“At this time, details are still emerging, and we are working closely with emergency responders and authorities.”
SHOCKING SCENES
As the investigation begins, footage of the wreckage continues to spread across social media.
An office employee working across the street from the crash shared a shocking video of the flames, and warned Boca Raton residents to “stay away from military trail near the glades overpass.”
“Possible plane crash right outside my office today. Shook the whole building,” the witness wrote.
[boxout headline=”Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer’s statement” intro=”The mayor told the Associated Press:”]“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community.
“At this time, details are still emerging, and we are working closely with emergency responders and authorities.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event.
“We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue.”
“Unfortunately I’m certain lives were lost here today. Thoughts and prayers to anyone who survived and the families of those who didn’t.”
In the video the witness shared, clouds of dark smoke engulfed the area.
Other photos showed small fires burning down trees lining the busy road and a car on fire near the palm trees while sirens blare in the distance.
“It looked like a dive-bombing or something. It was weird; I heard it zooming by a couple of times…I think a plane crashed,” someone said.
Live footage shows fire trucks and ambulances surrounding the area where the fires have been extinguished.
Debris from the crash could be seen scattered across the road and a railway, where most of the damage appeared to end.
A witness from an office across the street from the crash posted a video showing the massive police response.
“Crazy, a plane fell out of the sky literally right next to my office,” the man said.
“Apparently, the plane fell on top of a few cars; I hope everybody’s okay and that there’s minimal damage.”
Helicopters and sirens can be heard in the background of the man’s video.
“CRAZY. A plane fell out of the sky on to some cars directly outside my office in Boca Raton,” the man captioned his video.
“We heard a huge crash. Praying for all involved.”
The crash in Boca Raton comes just a day after a sight-seeing helicopter went down in the Hudson River near New York City.
Six people were killed, including three children and their parents.
They were in town to celebrate an 8-year-old girl’s birthday when the helicopter fell apart mid-air and plunged into the water.
The cause of that crash is still under investigation.
