Two individuals lost their lives when a small aircraft collided with several stationary semi-trucks close to Fort Worth, Texas, igniting a blaze that attracted emergency responders from the surrounding areas.
Officials say the crash happened around 1:30 p.m. local time in a parking lot near Hicks Airfield.
Craig Trojacek, spokesperson for the Fort Worth Fire Department, reported that emergency teams discovered two fatalities at the location, where numerous vehicles and a commercial building were engulfed in fire. Published photographs of the incident display intense flames and a dense black smoke column.
“We thought we were responding to two separate incidents,” Trojacek told the New York Times. “Later on, we realized it was all part of the same one.”
In a news release, the department said firefighters brought the blaze under control within 35 minutes.
Witnessing the event, 20-year-old Gregory Delano was at a nearby pool hall when the crash happened. He shared with the Dallas News that he rushed to the scene and was met with a “giant ball of fire.”
The National Transportation Safety Board has initiated an investigation into the crash involving a Beech King Air C90, a twin-engine plane. The Federal Aviation Administration is also examining the incident.
No further details were immediately available.
