By Newspot Nigeria
San Diego, California — In the early hours of Thursday, May 22, tragedy struck a quiet residential neighborhood in San Diego as a small jet, a Cessna 550, crashed in the Murphy Canyon area near Tierrasanta, claiming at least two lives and injuring eight others. All six people aboard the aircraft are presumed dead, according to authorities. The crash site, engulfed in flames and scattered debris, also led to the destruction and damage of multiple homes and vehicles.
The fiery crash, which occurred around 3:45 a.m. near Sculpin Street and Santo Road, triggered evacuations affecting roughly 100 residents. At least 10 buildings were damaged, and one home was completely destroyed. Jet fuel reportedly flowed down the streets, feeding fires that scorched cars and houses as frightened residents fled the area.
“We have jet fuel all over the place,” said Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy at a press briefing. “Our main goal is to search all these homes and get everybody out right now.”
A staggering 130 firefighting personnel responded to the inferno, with 13 engines and five trucks deployed to contain the blaze. By 7:30 a.m., most of the fires had been extinguished, except for one “stubborn” vehicle fire.
Authorities confirmed that the aircraft had taken off near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport before crashing under heavy fog conditions. As of now, the cause of the crash remains unknown. Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are conducting a full investigation, with NTSB taking the lead.
Mayor Todd Gloria expressed condolences to the victims’ families, saying, “San Diego will support the Navy as they assist the residents affected by this tragedy.” He also praised the swift, coordinated response by fire, police, military, and emergency personnel that helped mitigate the disaster.
Evacuations remain in place in parts of Salmon, Sample, and Sculpin Streets. Temporary shelter is being provided at Miller Elementary School by the American Red Cross. Road closures are ongoing, including portions of Salmon Road, Santo Road, and Corporal Drive.
The crash also led to the temporary shutdown of nearby schools — Hancock Elementary and Miller Elementary — and the closure of the northbound I-15 off-ramp at Aero Drive.
Police Chief Scott Wahl described the crash site as “horrific,” noting, “With the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see.”
The San Diego community continues to grapple with the shock and loss from this unprecedented event as authorities urge residents to report any debris or jet fuel odor to 619-531-2000.
Newspot Nigeria will continue to follow developments and updates from the investigation and emergency response efforts.
