A small aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood in Simi Valley, Southern California, on Saturday afternoon, killing the sole occupant and damaging two homes, the Associated Press reported citing officials.
The crash occurred in the Wood Ranch area, located nearly 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Firefighters and police responded swiftly by securing the area and urging residents to stay away as smoke poured from the roof of one of the affected houses.
The Ventura County Fire Department reported that both homes were occupied at the time, but all residents were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported. However, both structures suffered fire and structural damage.
Debris from the single-engine, fixed-wing plane was found lodged between the two houses.Nearly 40 firefighters battled the blaze and later began salvage and overhaul operations once the fire was contained.
Authorities have not released details about the pilot or the cause of the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation.
(With input from Associated Press
