A small medical transport plane crashed into several buildings in northeast Philadelphia on Friday evening, causing homes and vehicles to catch fire and injuring people on the ground.
The plane was on a medical transport mission, carrying a child patient, her mother, and four crew members. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described the incident as an "awful aviation disaster" during a news conference at the crash site.
Video footage of the crash showed the plane plummeting rapidly and causing a massive fireball.
According to a spokesperson from Temple University Hospital-Jeanes in Philadelphia, six people injured in the crash were treated, with three being released. The condition of the other three remains unknown.
The plane took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at around 6:07 PM local time and crashed less than four miles away shortly after, as reported by CBS, the US partner of BBC. Emergency calls were made around 6:12 PM.
State Representative Jared Solomon expressed admiration for the first responders who rushed towards the danger to protect the neighborhood amidst the tragedy.
Witnesses recounted how shrapnel from the crash damaged cars and sent burning debris onto the streets, with photos showing burning and twisted vehicles. The crash occurred near Roosevelt Mall, a busy shopping center in densely populated Philadelphia.
Fire officials stated that multiple homes caught fire in the vicinity of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a whirring sound followed by a loud explosion, causing panic among bystanders.
The Mexican girl on the plane had been treated at Shriners Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, and she was on her way back to Tijuana when the crash occurred. A send-off for her had taken place at the hospital earlier that Friday.
The Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia is in contact with the relatives of those on board the flight, as confirmed by the Mexican foreign ministry.
Mayor Cherelle Parker urged the community to refrain from touching debris and to contact emergency services if they encounter any. President Trump expressed sorrow over the crash, acknowledging the tragic loss of lives.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are conducting an investigation into the crash, which has become the deadliest plane crash in the US in over 20 years.