PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — At least seven people are dead and another 19 are injured after a plane crash and massive explosion in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday.
Those killed include six people on the medical transport jet, including a child, and a person on the ground who was inside a vehicle. At least 19 others were injured, Mayor Cherelle Parker said during a briefing Saturday morning.
The Learjet 55 crashed near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, according to authorities. The flight was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri with a final destination in Mexico when it went down.
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, confirmed early Saturday that all six on board the plane were killed.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. A crater can be seen in the roadway where the medical jet made impact, and debris from the crash is being found up to a quarter mile away from the impact site.
Vehicles, homes, and even people in the area could be seen on fire after the crash. Five structures were ablaze after the crash, which have all been extinguished.
Chopper 6 was overhead, where charred vehicles and burned buildings could be seen as federal investigators arrived to examine the scene. Debris from the crash is being found up to a quarter mile away from the impact site.
Video of the crash quickly began circulating on social media, many showing graphic images from the scene. A video obtained by Action News shows people inside a diner ducking for cover after the blast. One man sitting inside the diner was injured after being struck by debris.
The plane carrying a child, her mother, and four other people went down near the Roosevelt Mall around 6:10 p.m. Friday. The child on board had received care from Shriners Children’s Hospital and was being taken back to her home country of Mexico, along with her mother, when the crash happened.
Philadelphia Managing Director Adam Thiel said they are investigating debris in a “remote area” where “something happened with the aircraft.” He said, “That’s something we’ll leave the NTSB to talk about.”
The mayor also said no donations are needed and there is no official GoFundMe. Anyone in need of mental health support can call 215-685-6440 or visit dbhids.org. If you are missing or concerned about any loved ones, Mayor Parker advises you to call 911.
A shelter is available for residents at Samuel Fels High School located on the 5500 block of Langdon Street, the mayor said.