Fiery Plane Crash Claims Two Lives, Injures 19 in Southern California

Emergency responders evacuated about 300 people from the damaged facility. Among the 19 injured, several required hospital treatment.

Southern California witnessed a devastating tragedy Thursday when a small plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing facility near Fullerton Municipal Airport, leaving two dead and 19 others injured. The fiery explosion occurred at around 2 p.m. on Raymer Avenue in Orange County, approximately 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The Van’s RV-10, a four-seat kit plane, had barely climbed to 900 feet when the pilot signaled an immediate return to the airport, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator Eliott Simpson. Attempting a 180-degree turn, the aircraft fell short of the runway by about 1,000 feet and crashed into the building, igniting a massive fire.

Benjamin Torrez, 57, a factory worker, recounted the harrowing moments. "We heard a loud collision and then screams," Torrez said. He and colleagues tried to douse flames engulfing three or four workers using fire extinguishers, but the scene was overwhelming.

Emergency responders evacuated about 300 people from the damaged facility. Among the 19 injured, several required hospital treatment, said Mike Meacham, deputy chief of the Fullerton Fire Department. Authorities have yet to identify the deceased and confirm whether they were aboard the plane. Surveillance footage showed the aircraft striking the roof, triggering an explosion and a towering plume of smoke visible in aerial footage. The ill-fated plane, built in 2011, was registered to a Huntington Beach resident, who was unavailable for comment. Officials noted that weather conditions likely did not contribute to the crash, with investigations set to continue through Friday. This incident adds to the airport’s history of small plane crashes. In November, a plane narrowly avoided a similar catastrophe, crashing into a tree during an emergency landing. A more tragic episode occurred in 1995 when a plane struck a townhouse complex, killing three.

As investigators work to uncover the cause, Thursday’s crash highlights ongoing safety concerns surrounding Fullerton Municipal Airport and the broader risks of small aircraft operations in densely populated areas.