Small aircraft crashes into San Diego neighborhood, igniting fires, forcing evacuations VIDEO

A small plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego, California, on May 22 morning amid dense fog, igniting multiple fires and prompting widespread evacuations, authorities confirmed.

According to Assistant Fire Department Chief Dan Eddy, approximately 15 homes and several vehicles caught fire following the crash in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, a densely populated area known to house numerous military families, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Emergency responders quickly mobilized to control the blaze and evacuate residents from affected blocks.

“We have jet fuel all over the place,” Eddy said during a press briefing. “Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now.” He added that there had been “a direct hit to multiple homes” and described the crash site as “a gigantic debris field.”

Cessna 550 Citation II business jet crashes in San Diego neighborhood with authorities saying they do not currently know how many people were on board and the injuries suffered.

"We have not transported anyone from the scene so far," said San Diego Fire-Rescue Division Chief Dan… pic.twitter.com/g3JzVinA2C

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The crash occurred at approximately 3:45 a.m. near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aircraft involved was a Cessna 550, a light business jet capable of carrying between six to eight passengers. “The number of people on board is unknown at this time,” the FAA said in an official statement.

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, but authorities noted that weather conditions were extremely poor at the time. “It was very foggy... You could barely see in front of you,” said Eddy, emphasizing the challenges posed to both pilots and emergency personnel.

Residents described being jolted awake by a loud explosion. Some reported seeing a bright orange glow lighting up the early morning sky before fires erupted throughout the neighborhood.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken over the investigation and will be working to determine the circumstances that led to the fatal crash.

This incident draws parallels to a 2021 tragedy in which a twin-engine aircraft preparing to land at the same airport crashed into a nearby San Diego suburb, killing both the pilot and a UPS driver on the ground, and setting multiple homes ablaze.

As investigations proceed, authorities continue to assess the damage and search for any potential victims, while offering support and shelter to displaced families.

By Vafa Guliyeva