Two people aboard a small plane died Thursday after it crashed into an Ohio house and exploded into flames, the Akron Fire Department reported.
Miraculously, a couple and their two children inside the targeted home managed to escape unharmed, District Fire Chief Sierjie Lash told News 5 Cleveland.
The residence was engulfed in flames, and a neighboring property also sustained damage. There were no immediate reports of injuries inside the homes.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Piper PA-28.
Social media footage captured a towering plume of thick black smoke rising above the residential area, with flames visible at its base as it ascended above nearby homes.
Smoke from the crash site was reportedly visible from downtown Akron.
Emergency services from multiple communities and agencies swiftly responded to the scene, which was quickly cordoned off, diverting traffic away from the neighborhood.
Chief Lash praised the family’s escape, stating, “They were able to get out with no injuries, so we’re very fortunate that they are safe.”
Fire crews successfully extinguished the house fire and remained on site to monitor for “any hot spots.”
An Ohio State Highway Patrol plane surveyed the area, and a vehicle from the Summit County Medical Examiner’s office arrived.
