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Two dead and 18 injured as plane crashes into warehouse outside Los Angeles

More than 100 people evacuated from building after crash in Fullerton

Josh Marcus
San Francisco
Friday 03 January 2025 01:34 GMT
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This image taken from video, shows a small plane about to crash into a commercial building in Fullerton, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025
This image taken from video, shows a small plane about to crash into a commercial building in Fullerton, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 (AP)

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A small plane crashed into a commercial warehouse in Fullerton, California, killing two people and injuring 18.

“A small plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing building in Fullerton in our district,” Representative Lou Correa, the local congressman, wrote on X. “At least a dozen workers injured hurt. Passengers’ status unknown.”

The crash on Thursday occurred near the Fullerton Municipal Airport and prompted the evacuation of more than 100 people from inside the building, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The aircraft appeared to crash through the roof of a furniture manufacturing facility, starting a fire, according to overhead footage from news stations.

Among the injured, ten people were taken to area hospitals and eight people were treated and released on scene, according to the Fullerton Police Department.

The aircraft was a single-engine Van’s RV-10, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Police got a report about the crash at 2:09pm, a Fullerton spokesperson told The Associated Press.

Plane crashed into roof of furniture manufacturer
Plane crashed into roof of furniture manufacturer (AP)

Bystanders reported seeing a plume of smoke rise from the building.

“People are just shaken over the situation,” local man Mark Anderson told NBC Los Angeles. “It was just a large boom, and then one of the people went out and said, ‘Oh my gosh, the building’s on fire.’”

Witness Javier Ruiz said he saw someone emerge from the building with injuries.

"His shirt was burned, his shoes were burned, his face," Ruiz told CBS Los Angeles. "It looked like something from a movie."

At 3:25pm, fire officials said the blaze that followed the crash was extinguished.

The building where the crash took place is occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to the outlet.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.

In November, two people were in a plane that crashed into a tree while making an emergency landing near the Fullerton airport.

No one sustained serious injuries in that incident.

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