Germany: Three dead after small plane crashes into house ‘after colliding with hot air balloon’

Child has also been injured in collision, police spokesperson says

(EPA)

Three people have died after a small aircraft crashed into a residential building in Germany, police have said.

The roof of the apartment building in the town of Wesel, in the state of North-Rhine Westphalia, caught fire after the microlight plane crashed into it, a police spokesperson said.

Witnesses told local media that they had seen the aircraft collide with a hot-air balloon shortly before the crash, which also injured a child.

The victims are yet to be identified, according to local media reports. It is not known if the pilot is among them.

The injured child is thought to have been living in one of the five apartments in the building, the spokesperson said.

The microlight plane had a maximum capacity of two people.

Emergency workers found a parachute close to the site, which is believed to be the plane's emergency brake system.

The fire is under control and the site has been cordoned off. Firefighters and police remain at the scene of the incident.

The spokesperson said the plane probably took off from Marl airfield.

The city of Wesel is about 65 kilometres (40 miles) north of Dusseldorf.