2 dead and 18 injured in small plane crash in Southern California

Two dead, 18 injured in Fullerton plane crash; details on victims, cause unknown.

Two people were killed and 18 injured when a small plane crashed through the rooftop of a commercial building in Southern California on Thursday (January 2, 2025), police said.

Police got a report at 2:09 p.m. about the crash in the Orange County city of Fullerton, said Kristy Wells, a Fullerton police spokesperson.

Firefighters and police arrived on scene and battled a blaze that broke out, and evacuated surrounding businesses, Ms. Wells said.

The fire damaged the warehouse, which appeared to contain sewing machines and textile stock. The building was occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to a sign on a door.

Ten people were taken to the hospital, while eight were treated and released at the scene, police said. There were two confirmed deaths, according to Ms. Wells.

It was not immediately known what type of plane it was or whether those injured were in the aircraft or on the ground, Ms. Wells said.

The flight-tracking website FlightAware shows a four-seat, single-engine aircraft crashed about a minute after takeoff.