PHILADELPHIA — A small plane crashed into multiple buildings in northeast Philadelphia on Friday evening, setting homes and vehicles ablaze and reportedly injuring people on the ground.

Officials confirmed that several individuals were aboard the aircraft, a Learjet 55, which took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time.

The plane crashed less than four miles (6.4 km) away, in a densely populated area near Roosevelt Mall.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene during evening rush hour, urging the public to avoid the area.

Thick smoke billowed over the neighborhood as firefighters worked to contain the flames.

Eyewitnesses described the explosion as powerful enough to "light up the whole sky" and shake nearby buildings, with debris scattered across the streets.

Footage circulating online captured the aircraft descending rapidly before erupting into a massive fireball upon impact.

Witnesses reported seeing shrapnel damage vehicles and burning wreckage strewn across the area.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before the crash.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the incident.

Weather conditions in Philadelphia at the time of the crash were reported as cloudy with rain, accompanied by winds of 10 to 20 mph.

However, authorities have yet to determine the cause of the crash or the fate of those on board.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated that he is in contact with local authorities and has offered "all Commonwealth resources" to support emergency response efforts.

This crash comes just days after a fatal aviation disaster in Washington, D.C., where a commercial jet and a military helicopter collided, with officials fearing that all 67 people aboard both aircraft were killed. — Agencies