Two children were killed and two adults were critically injured after a single-engine plane crashed near the San Joaquin River in California.
The aircraft went down just before 2pm PDT on Saturday near the Sierra Sky Park Airport in Fresno, briefly knocking out power in the area.
Footage from reporters and witnesses on the scene showed dozens of firefighters extinguishing plumes of smoke atop a large bluff in a wilderness area.
Fresno Fire Department Officer Josh Sellers said at a press conference that the plane crashed near the airport runway off a cliff. It is unknown if the plane was departing or arriving.
The sheriff’s office said firefighters worked to extinguish the flames and prevented the fire from spreading to nearby homes.
There were four victims on board the small aircraft. Two children were pronounced dead at the scene, and two adults were rushed to a local hospital, where they are in critical condition as of Saturday night.
The names, ages and relationships of those on the plane are unknown. The sheriff’s office has established a safety perimeter around the crash site, preventing the public from accessing the scene.
Power was briefly knocked out for nearby residences but has since been restored, according to PG&E’s outage map.
A single-engine aircraft crashed near the Sierra Sky Park Airport in Fresno, California just before 2pm PST
Emergency responders rushed to the scene. Two children were pronounced dead and two adults were rushed to a nearby hospital
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed it is now investigating the crash.
The agency said the victims were in a Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5 airplane, a four-seat, single-engine aircraft.
‘This is a rare and tragic situation in northwest Fresno, my immediate concern is for the survivors of this heart wrenching situation,’ Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi said in a statement on social media.
Karbassi added that when the timing is right, his office will reach out to those impacted for assistance.
He thanked the first responders and city manager for their fast response and asked the community to pray for the family ‘who are going through something unimaginable.’
The crash occurred near the Sierra Sky Park neighborhood, which is known as the world’s first aviation community.
Emergency responders extinguished the flames from the crash before the fire spread to nearby homes
The cause of the crash is under investigation and power has since returned to the area after it was briefly knocked out during the collision
The neighborhood is built around the privately owned airport.
Houses in the area are built along the runway and boast aircraft hangars instead of garages.
The Daily Mail has reached out to local officials and the NTSB for comment and additional information on the crash.
