Tragic accident happened in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on Saturday afternoon when a small plane crashed into a house and set the home ablaze. At least one fatality has been reported in the tragedy.
Details of the Crash
The aircraft, a six-seat executive transport plane, crashed into the house around 12:20 p.m. local time. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says the plane was en route to Anoka County-Blaine Airport in Minneapolis from Des Moines International Airport in Iowa when the crash occurred.
Brooklyn Park Fire Chief Shawn Conway confirmed during a news conference that there were no survivors of the plane. However, the number of people on board is still not known. City spokeswoman Risikat Adesaogun told CNN that one death has been verified at the moment.
No Casualties Inside the Home
Luckily, no one in the house was injured or killed. Footage of the incident shows the house fully engulfed in flames, with firefighters telling the witnesses to move away from the burning house. Fire trucks came to the scene to put out the fire.
Firefighters encountered a “fully involved structure fire” when they arrived, Conway stated. The wreckage of the plane was not located until after the fire was extinguished.
“We are asking the patience of the neighborhood while we process the scene and investigate the crash. Fortunately, all occupants of the residence were evacuated safely,” Conway said.
Eyewitness Accounts
A Ring doorbell camera captured the frightening moment the plane crashed from the sky before landing in the suburb. Cindy Leitschuh said that her family unwittingly recorded the video.
Her husband, Curt, and her son, 8, were playing catch in the backyard when the boy noticed the plane moving erratically.
“My 8-year-old son actually saw the plane going up and down,” Leitschuh said. “He thought it was a drone at first. Then he said to me, ‘I saw this plane going up and down, left and right, and then I saw a lot of black smoke.’ That’s when my husband went to look at the Ring camera and he noticed that it had captured the crash.”
Government and Community Response
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz did acknowledge the tragedy in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “My staff is working with local law enforcement on the ground in Brooklyn Park, and we’re monitoring closely. Grateful for first responders answering the call.”
Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston also issued a statement of support, thanking Governor Walz for deploying resources to the city.
“As a community, we will stand in defense of and support those families that were injured by this tragedy,” Winston vowed.
Investigation Under Way
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration have begun an investigation of the crash, with the NTSB leading the charge. Authorities are set to report to Minnesota to study the wreckage and learn more.
City spokesperson Adesaogun declared that authorities would “be doing their work as the investigation unfolds,” and more details would be released in the coming days.
Brooklyn Park, a suburb about 11 miles north of Minneapolis, is reeling from the aftermath of this unexpected tragedy. As the authorities rush to determine why the accident happened, the community unites in its attempts to assist the victims of this deadly tragedy.
