Six dead, including child, in medical jet crash near Philadelphia mall
(Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(PHILADELPHIA) — A medical transport plane, carrying a child, her mother and four other people, crashed in Philadelphia Friday night near a busy mall, killing all aboard and resulting in an untold number of injuries on the ground.
The Learjet 55 crashed near the Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia around 6:30 p.m. after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, according to authorities.
The exact number of the injured is not yet available, officials said.
“Many people on the ground – in parking lots, on streets, in cars and homes in the area – were injured; the number of injured is yet to be released but the information shared at this time reports that a number of people were transported to Temple University Hospital, Jeans Campus in the Northeast,” 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.
In a statement, Shriner’s Hospital said the child had received care from the Philadelphia hospital and was being taken back to her home country of Mexico along with her mother on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened.
The company that operated the flight, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, said in a statement there were four crew members on board.
“At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors,” the company said in the statement. “No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified. Our immediate concern is for the patient’s family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground.”
The air ambulance was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, according to Flight Radar24 data.
“I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, United States,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a statement Saturday. “The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families; I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support them in whatever way is required. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.”
A large fire burned in the wake of the crash, prompting a significant response.
“We heard a loud explosion and then saw the aftermath of flames and smoke,” eyewitness Jimmy Weiss told local ABC station WPVI near the scene.
He added, “It felt like the ground shook .. it was a loud boom. It was startling.”
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
An NTSB investigator arrived at the scene Friday night with additional team members expected to arrive Saturday.
Temple University Hospital told ABC News it had received six patients hurt in the crash, although it was not clear if they were in the plane or people who were on the ground.
Three of those patients were treated and released and three remain hospitalized in fair condition, the hospital said.
Speaking at a follow-up press briefing Friday night, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said dozens of state troopers and other state personnel were on on hand to offer help and praised local responders and community members.
“We saw neighbor helping neighbor. We saw Pennsylvanians looking out for one another,” he said.
In a statement posted to social media platform Truth Social, President Donald Trump said: “So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.”
Immediately after the crash, the FAA issued a ground stop at Northeast Philadelphia Airport due to “an aircraft incident.”
The FAA had initially reported there were two people on board the aircraft but later corrected that report.
ABC News’ Ayesha Ali and Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.
(LOS ANGELES) — Los Angeles County has been devastated by two deadly wildfires that have become some of the most destructive in California history.
The Palisades and Eaton fires both erupted on Jan. 7, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds.
Dozens of people are believed to have died in the fires, which have burned down whole swaths of communities, including in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and Pasadena. More than 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the two fires, with the Eaton Fire the most destructive in Los Angeles history.
With the fires continuing to rage, the full scope of the lives lost and destruction remains to be seen.
While working to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires, firefighters also have had to contend with several smaller fires that have ignited amid the hazardous fire conditions.
Here’s a look at how the deadly blazes unfolded.
Jan. 7
A dayslong red flag warning goes into effect for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with very strong winds in the forecast amid dry conditions.
“Strong, damaging and potentially life-threatening #SantaAnaWinds are still on track for #SoCal,” the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warns. “Be prepared for strong winds and high fire danger.”
10:20 a.m.: A live camera with AlertCalifornia, a UC San Diego program to monitor wildfires and disasters in real-time, picks up smoke rising. This is the first sighting of the Palisades Fire.
10:30 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Palisades Fire has started southeast of Palisades Drive in the Pacific Palisades.
11:44 a.m.: Evacuation warnings — voluntary notices to leave — begin to be issued in the Palisades Fire.
Noon: Mandatory evacuation orders start in the Palisades Fire. Long lines of vehicles can be seen amid evacuations, as well as abandoned cars.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency due to the Palisades Fire, which has grown to 1,200 acres at the time of his declaration.
6:18 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Eaton Fire has begun in Altadena, describing the incident as a “fast-moving fire burning brush fueled by high winds,” prompting evacuation orders.
6:26 p.m.: The Los Angeles Fire Department calls on all of its firefighters to report for duty.
10:29 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Hurst Fire has begun in Sylmar, prompting evacuations.
Jan. 8
Newsom says more than 1,400 firefighting personnel and hundreds of “prepositioned assets” have been deployed to battle the “unprecedented fires” ravaging parts of Los Angeles, with the Palisades Fire growing to nearly 3,000 acres and the Eaton Fire to 1,000 acres by the morning.
5 a.m.: A wind gust of 100 mph is recorded at Mountain Lukens in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of La Canada Flintridge — very close to the Eaton Fire.
6:15 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Woodley Fire has begun in the Sepulveda Basin.
At a morning press briefing, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone reports that two people have died in the Eaton Fire, as it continues to rage uncontrolled.
The city of Pasadena issues a do-not-drink-water notification alert due to damage to water reservoirs, tanks and pumping stations, and an air quality alert is issued for parts of Los Angeles County, amid the wildfire impacts.
President Joe Biden approves a major disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities to immediately access recovery funds and resources related to the major wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.
2:07 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Lidia Fire has begun in Acton, prompting evacuations.
5:57 p.m.: A fire has begun in the famed Hollywood Hills, Cal Fire reports. The Sunset Fire prompts evacuations.
8:07 p.m.: The Woodley Fire in the Sepulveda Basin is now fully contained, Cal Fire reports.
By the evening, Newsom updates that more than 7,500 firefighting personnel are on the ground to respond to “California’s ongoing historic wildfires.”
Jan. 9
The Palisades Fire has now burned more than 17,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has grown to more than 10,000 acres, as both are 0% contained.
Newsom announces he has approved a request from Los Angeles County to deploy the California National Guard to support law enforcement efforts in the region, including in efforts to target looting in evacuated communities.
Biden also announces the federal government will cover 100% of the disaster response to the Los Angeles wildfires for 180 days, up from the 75% to 90% that is typically covered.
3:34 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Kenneth Fire has started in West Hills, prompting evacuations.
3:55 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills is 100% contained.
Around 4 p.m.: An evacuation alert is mistakenly sent to millions of Los Angeles County residents, officials said. The county subsequently called the error a “serious breach of public trust” and said, for now, the state’s Office of Emergency Services would be handling alerts to the public.
Jan. 10
The Palisades Fire has grown to nearly 20,000 acres with 6% containment, and the Eaton Fire to nearly 14,000 acres with 0% containment.
Los Angeles officials announce that a 12-hour curfew, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., is in effect for all evacuated areas to protect homes and prevent looting.
11:24 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Archer Fire has begun in Granada Hills, prompting evacuations.
That afternoon, Newsom calls for an independent investigation into the “loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies” from the Santa Ynez Reservoir, following a Los Angeles Times report that the Pacific Palisades reservoir had been closed for repairs at the time the destructive fire started.
“We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires,” he says on X.
Jan. 11
The Palisades Fire is now more than 21,000 acres with 11% containment, while the Eaton Fire is more than 14,000 acres with 15% containment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading a task force investigating the cause and origin of the fires, officials announce. The task force is made up of local, state and federal partners designed to investigate the cause of these fires and to see if there’s any connection between them.
Newsom also announces he is doubling the California National Guard’s deployment to the Los Angeles fires to 1,680 service members, as they are “continuing to rush in resources to rapidly respond to the firestorm in Los Angeles fueled by hurricane-force winds,” he says in a statement.
7:40 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Lidia Fire in Acton is 100% contained.
8:41 a.m.: The Archer Fire in Granada Hills is fully contained, Cal Fire reports.
Jan. 12
The Palisades Fire is now more than 23,000 acres and 11% contained while the Eaton Fire is more than 14,000 acres and 27% contained.
There have been at least 24 fire-related deaths — eight in the Palisades Fire and 16 in the Eaton Fire, according to the latest tally from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.
As the wildfires continue to burn, the National Weather Service issues another red flag warning for fire danger in Southern California through Jan. 15, with high winds again in the forecast. Power shutoffs in evacuated areas will remain through the red flag warning, fire officials said.
The California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund has collected more than $6 million in donations, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announces, with more than 13,000 people from across the country and the globe donating.
7:48 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Kenneth Fire in West Hills is 100% contained.
Jan. 13
The Palisades Fire is now 14% contained, while the Eaton Fire is 33% contained. More than 15,000 firefighting personnel have been deployed for the fires, ahead of the latest fire threat, Newsom says.
Four separate lawsuits are filed against Southern California Edison, a utility company in California, by homeowners and renters who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. The lawsuits each allege the company failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
A group of Pacific Palisades residents and businesses impacted by the Palisades Fire also files a lawsuit against Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power, alleging that the city and its agency were unprepared for the Palisades Fire.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Fire agencies are investigating whether Southern California Edison — a subsidiary of Edison International — infrastructure sites caused fires in areas devastated by the Eaton and Hurst wildfires.
Pedro Pizarro, the president and CEO of Edison International, tells “Good Morning America” that the company cannot yet rule out the possibility that its energy infrastructure played a role in the fires, as they have not yet been able to examine the equipment.
6:27 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Hurst Fire is 97% contained after burning nearly 800 acres in Sylmar.
9:25 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Auto Fire has started in Ventura, prompting evacuations.
Jan. 14
The Palisades Fire is now 17% contained, while the Eaton Fire is 35% contained.
More than 30 people remain unaccounted for in the fires, authorities say at a morning briefing. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department says it is following 24 missing persons cases, all adults, while the Los Angeles Police Department says it has 13 active missing persons cases, two of whom are believed to be dead.
In the afternoon, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner reports an additional fire-related death in the Eaton Fire, bringing the total fatalities in the two wildfires to 25. The Eaton Fire is the fifth-deadliest in the state’s history, with 16 reported deaths.
Jan. 15
The Palisades Fire is now 19% contained and the Eaton Fire 45% contained, as firefighters continue to work to contain and suppress the fires with the red flag warning in effect through the afternoon.
ABC News’ James Hill, Laura Romero, Alexandra Myers, Kate Holland, Kerem Inal, Helena Skinner, Lena Camilletti, Kirsten Cintigo, Tonya Simpson, Tomas Navia and Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.
(LOS ANGELES) — One of the strongest storms of the season slammed fire-ravaged Los Angeles with heavy rain on Thursday, sending streams of mud and debris across roadways and sweeping a fire department vehicle off a Malibu road into the ocean, authorities said.
A member of the Los Angeles Fire Department was inside the vehicle when it was swept off the road by a large debris flow and into the ocean, according to the department.
“Fortunately, the member was able to exit his vehicle and reach safety with minor injuries. He was transported to a local hospital as a precaution,” spokesperson Erik Scott said.
In the Southern California city of San Juan Capistrano, two people were rescued early Friday after getting trapped in the fast-moving San Juan Creek, the Orange County Fire Authority said. They were holding onto trees and bushes to try to avoid getting swept away, the fire authority said.
“One of the victims, who had been dragged downstream by the swift current, jumped into the arms of the helicopter rescuer,” the fire authority said.
The atmospheric river dumped 6.34 inches of rain in Los Angeles County, prompting mudslides in the burn scar areas from last month’s devastating Palisades Fire, Los Angeles ABC station KABC reported.
Videos captured by KABC showed bulldozers pushing streams of muddy sludge out of the roads and firefighters trudging through nearly waist-deep swamps of water and mud.
The storm also brought a line of severe thunderstorms with 70 mph wind gusts to Los Angeles County, and a possible tornado hit a mobile home park near Oxnard, California, about 60 miles from LA.
LA Mayor Karen Bass said the city prepared for the storm by clearing catch basins of fire debris, offering residents over 6,500 sandbags, setting up over 7,500 feet of concrete barriers, and having systems in place to capture polluted runoff.
Sheriff’s deputies helped residents prepare with sandbags and passed out mud and debris safety tips, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference Wednesday. “Our homeless outreach teams … are actively notifying individuals living in flood-prone areas like the LA River, Coyote Creek and other key waterways, urging them to relocate.”
Evacuation warnings were announced for parts of fire burn zones, including areas impacted by the Palisades Fire, and an evacuation order was issued for parts of Sierra Madre affected by the Eaton Fire, according to KABC.
All Malibu schools were closed Thursday and Friday, according to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
The sheriff urged residents to prepare in the event they needed to evacuate.
“Unfortunately, we’ve witnessed numerous, numerous instances in the past of swift-water rescues where people were caught in dangerous, fast-moving water, and obviously, we want to prevent that,” he said.
“Nothing that you have back home is worth your life. If you decide to stay in your property in an evacuated area, debris from the burn scar areas and storm may impede roads, and we may not be able to reach you,” he warned.
Before pummeling LA, the storm first hit Northern California, bringing rain and flash flooding to the San Francisco Bay area.
Further north, the same storm system brought whiteout conditions and car crashes to Interstate 84 in Oregon.
(LOS ANGELES) — Even as four wildfires continued to burn in Los Angeles County on Thursday, the blazes were already rewriting the record books.
Over the last nine days, seven fires have broken out across the nation’s second-largest metropolitan region, ravaging a combined area bigger than the 40 square miles that comprise the city of San Francisco and nearly twice the size of Manhattan, New York. An eighth fire ignited Monday night near Oxnard in neighboring Ventura County, but fire crews held it to 61 acres.
The two biggest infernos, the Palisades and the Eaton fires, are now among the most destructive blazes in California history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
Tune into “Good Morning America” on Friday, Jan. 17, as ABC News and ABC owned stations kick off “SoCal Strong” (#SoCalStrong) coverage in support of Los Angeles-area communities amid the devastating wildfires. Coverage continues across ABC News programs and platforms.
As of Thursday morning, the Eaton Fire, which has burned 14,117 acres and destroyed more than 7,000 structures, was the second most destructive fire in state history behind the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California’s Butte County, which consumed 153,336 acres and leveled 18,804 structures, according to Cal Fire.
The Palisades Fire has surged to fourth on Cal Fire’s list of most destructive wildfires in the Golden State after destroying more than 5,000 structures and burning 23,713 acres of drought-parched land.
The 62 square miles comprising the fire zones are just a part of the 4,083 square miles that make up all of LA County.
Regarding the death toll from the fires, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner is investigating 16 deaths in connection with the Eaton Fire. That makes it the fifth deadliest wildfire in state history, leaping over three fires that each caused 15 deaths — the Rattlesnake Fire of 1953 in Northern California, the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego, and the 2020 North Complex Fire in Northern California’s Butte, Plumas and Yuba counties.
The medical examiner is investigating nine deaths in connection with the Palisades Fire in the oceanfront community of Pacific Palisades, which ranks 14 on the list of deadliest California wildfires.
The Eaton and Palisades fires combined have burned an area the equivalent of 2,324 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseums, one of the biggest football stadiums in the country.
The Palisades Fire was 22% contained on Thursday, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton Fire was 55% contained.
The fires are expected to cost insurers as much as $30 billion, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs estimated in a report released this week. After accounting for non-insured damages, the total costs will balloon to $40 billion, the report said.
While Wednesday marked the third straight day the National Weather Service (NWS) had issued a rare “particularly dangerous situation” red flag alert for Los Angeles County, the winds were not as strong as expected overnight allowing residents and firefighters to breathe a sigh of relief that no new fires were reported.
Offshore Santa Ana winds will continue to diminish for the majority of Southern California on Thursday, according to the NWS. However, a red flag warning continues for the San Gabriel and Santa Susana mountains until 3 p.m. local time Thursday.
This morning and early afternoon, winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph will continue for the Western San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains and the I-5 corridor.
However, a red flag warning continues for the San Gabriel Mountains, 50 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, and the Santa Susana Mountains, about 30 miles north of downtown LA, until 3 p.m. local time Thursday.
A marine layer and even some clouds could bring a chance for a sprinkle to Southern California late Thursday and into Friday.
Up to more than 15,000 firefighters, including crews from outside the state and nation, are taking advantage of the calmer weather to increase fire containment lines, pre-position equipment in crews in vulnerable areas and use air tankers to coat hillsides in front of the burn areas with fire retardant in advance of the next Santa Ana wind event, officials said.
The NWS is forecasting a return of strong Santa Ana winds to the region next Monday and Tuesday.
Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Sheila Kelliher told ABC News a big concern continues to be protecting communities where no fires have yet to emerge, saying, “The start that hasn’t happened I think is what kind of keeps us up.”
The causes of the fires remain under investigation by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Meanwhile, FEMA is reporting that it has received more than 53,000 applications for emergency disaster aid.
About 80,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation.
Fire victims like Zaire Calvin of Altadena, whose sister Evelyn McClendon perished in a blaze that burned down their family home, shuddered to think of another blaze like the Eaton Fire igniting.
“It looked like a volcano,” Calvin told ABC News. “When you’re mourning your sister’s death, there’s no real understanding. There’s no understanding. There’s no way to even take it in.”
Calvin said residents like him, whose lives have been upturned by the fires, face an uncertain future as they decide whether to rebuild.
“Everyone is fighting,” Calvin said. “Everyone is literally just asking, leaning on each other to say, ‘What’s next? What’s the best thing to do?'”
