Two people were killed, and 18 others injured on Thursday, in Fullerton, when a small plane crashed into the roof of a furniture manufacturing building in Southern California, where over 200 workers were present, according to police.
Authorities have not yet identified the deceased or confirmed whether they were aboard the plane or inside the building, Fullerton Police spokesperson Kristy Wells said.
The plane, a single-engine Van’s RV-10, crashed less than two minutes after taking off from Fullerton Municipal Airport in Orange County, just six miles from Disneyland, according to FlightAware.
Surveillance footage from Rucci Forged, a nearby wheel manufacturing facility, showed the plane tilting on its side before plunging into the building, sparking an explosion and sending a plume of black smoke into the air.
Emergency crews responded quickly, battling the resulting fire and evacuating nearby businesses.
Chris Villalobos, an airport operations worker, said the aircraft’s owner was a regular at the airport and had frequently taken off from there.
“The pilot reported an issue and told air traffic control he needed to turn around for an emergency landing, but it’s unclear what went wrong,” Villalobos explained.
The building, occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, housed sewing machines and textile stock, according to police.
Of the injured, 10 were transported to a hospital for treatment, while eight others were treated and released at the scene.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the crash alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The Fullerton Municipal Airport, featuring a single runway and heliport, has seen incidents in the past. In November, another four-seat plane crashed into a tree half a mile from the airport during an emergency landing, causing moderate injuries to both occupants, the *Orange County Register* reported.
Fullerton, a city with a population of about 140,000, lies 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles, surrounded by residential neighborhoods and commercial warehouses.
