In 'horrific' scene, small jet crashes in San Diego military neighborhood
May 22 (UPI) -- A small jet plane crashed near a military housing neighborhood outside San Diego but the number of onboard fatalities is not yet known.
The incident was reported around 3:45 a.m. local time in the 3100 block of Salmon Street near the Tierrasanta neighborhood in the Murphy Canyon area.
According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft was a Cessna 550, which often is used as a corporate jet.
One local resident was hospitalized and two others were treated for minor injuries, the San Diego Police Department reported.
It added that the plane crashed near California's Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport after it took off Wednesday night from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport, according to flight data on FlightAware.
It reportedly landed early Thursday morning in Wichita, where it stayed in Kansas for about an hour before it departed for California.
The Cessna struck homes and caused about 15, along with several cars, to catch fire, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Assistant Chief Dan Eddy told reporters at the crash site.
"The number of people on board is unknown at this time," the agency initially said, adding the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the deadly crash.
"The NSTB will lead the investigation and provide any updates," FAA officials said. "This information is preliminary and subject to change," they warned.
Eddy said the were no on-ground fatalities but the plane could have held up to 10 people, including its pilot.
According to SDFD officials, the crash scene is now a HAZMAT situation because of aviation fuel flowing down the streets, forcing multiple neighborhoods to be evacuated.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said there was "jet fuel going down the street and everything on fire all at once." He added that it was "pretty horrific to see."
Meanwhile, at least a dozen local pets were rescued or decontaminated by the San Diego Humane Society after the crash in the Murphy Canyon area.
"On behalf of our city, I extend my condolences to the families and loved ones of those aboard the plane," San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said in a statement, expressing his "deepest" gratitude to scores of agencies for their "swift, coordinated responses" that "quickly evacuated residents, extinguished fires and secured the area to ensure this tragedy was not compounded."
"San Diego will support the Navy as they assist the residents affected by this tragedy," the mayor said.
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