Multiple homes on fire after plane crashes in New Jersey
Colonia, New Jersey – A small plane crashed into a home in Colonia, New Jersey, Tuesday morning. At least three homes were on fire following the crash, according to CBS New York, and the Colonia Fire Department said they were "trying to save the neighborhood."
Up to 200 firefighters from nine different firehouses battled the blazes after a Cessna 414 crashed into the back of the home at 11 a.m. The fires were brought under control by around 12:30 p.m.
The mayor of Woodbridge Township, John McCormac, said the pilot was the only person on the aircraft that crashed. He said no one on the ground was injured.
A family with a young child lived in the house that was directly hit, but no one was home at the time, McCormac said. A woman in the house next door was able to escape.
"There was nobody home at the time, which was very fortunate. There was a car in the driveway, so everybody thought somebody was home, but nobody was home, they confirmed with the owner," said McCormac. "Right now, we don't believe any civilians on the ground were impacted by the crash."
The plane was headed to Linden Airport.
"I heard a plane really, really low. Linden Airport isn't that far away so I knew that it was abnormally low. The sounds were really loud, and it seemed like, near the end, before there was a really loud bang, it kind of sputtered out a little bit. And then I just hear this loud bang and it shook the whole house," said neighbor Steven Smith. "We checked on the two houses next door and made sure there was no one there because the fire was 30 to 40 feet high or something."
