Two dead after small plane crashes into California building

Two people have died and 18 others were injured after a small plane crashed into a commercial building in Southern California, officials reported. The incident occurred at approximately 2:15 PM PST (10:15 GMT) on Thursday, when the single-engine Van's RV-10 aircraft crashed into a building in Fullerton, about 25 miles south of Los Angeles.

Ten of the injured were taken to nearby hospitals, while eight others were treated at the scene and released. The Fullerton Police Department, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), confirmed the injuries but did not provide further details on the crash's cause or the identities of the deceased. It is unclear whether the two people who died were occupants of the plane or workers inside the building at the time of the crash.

The plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing business, Michael Nicholas Designs, which is located near the Fullerton Municipal Airport and about 6 miles from Disneyland. Congressman Lou Correa, who represents the area, confirmed that at least a dozen of the victims were factory workers. Aerial footage of the scene shows parts of the plane embedded inside the building, and fire crews quickly extinguished a blaze sparked by the crash.

Witnesses described a terrifying scene, with one bystander, Mark Anderson, telling local news outlet KRCA-TV, It was just a large boom, and then one of the people went out and said, 'Oh my gosh, the building's on fire. Security footage from a nearby building captured the moment of the fiery explosion. People are just shaken over the situation, Anderson added.

The plane appears to have been attempting to return to the Fullerton Municipal Airport shortly after takeoff, according to local reports. The crash caused significant damage to the building, and around 100 people were evacuated from the furniture factory. Employee Juanita Ramirez recalled hearing a loud bang before seeing a large fireball approaching her. It felt like a dream, she said.

Officials have evacuated buildings in the vicinity, and police are asking the public to stay away from the crash site as investigations continue. This marks the second plane crash in the area in the past two months; in November, another plane crashed into a tree nearby, though no major injuries were reported.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and authorities have not yet provided additional information about the circumstances surrounding the incident.