All six people on board a medical plane that went down in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday, January 31st, including a child and her mother, were killed in the fiery crash.
The Learjet 55 crashed near the Roosevelt Mall around 6:10 p.m. after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport with a final destination in Mexico, according to authorities.
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, confirmed the deaths in a social media post, saying all six people were Mexican nationals.
Multiple injuries to people on the ground have also been reported after the resulting explosion left a large field of debris, damage to buildings, and burned-out cars. The exact number of the injured is not yet available, officials said.
Temple University Hospital said Saturday morning that six patients were treated and released from the Jeanes Campus. One person is hospitalized at Main Campus and is listed in fair condition.
Moment of impact: Plane crash caught on video in Northeast Philadelphia
A fireball that erupted into the sky after a plane crash on Friday night in Northeast Philadelphia was caught on video.
Officials also told Action News that at least one firefighter was hospitalized for a breathing issue.
“Many people on the ground – in parking lots, on streets, in cars and homes in the area – were injured,” the office of Mayor Cherelle Parker said Saturday.
“Right now, we’re just asking for prayers,” Parker told reporters Friday night. She urged residents to stay away from the scene.
Officials are expected to hold a press briefing Saturday morning.
Action News is getting a new look Saturday morning at the destruction that spans several blocks. A crater can be seen in the roadway where the medical jet made impact.
Chopper 6 was overhead, where charred vehicles and burned buildings could be seen as federal investigators arrive to examine the scene.
Where was the plane going?
The jet was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri with a final destination in Mexico when it went down.
In a statement, Shriners Children’s said the child on board had received care from the Philadelphia hospital and was being taken back to her home country of Mexico, along with her mother, when the crash happened.
Shriners Children’s said the child on board was being taken back to her home country of Mexico
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event – as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground – and we’re thankful to the first responders for their quick action,” Shriners said in a statement.
The company that operated the flight, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, said in a statement there were four crew members on board.
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