SAN DIEGO — Three of the people killed in a plane crash in a San Diego neighborhood worked for an El Cajon-based talent agency, and authorities today are working to identify other victims and assess damage.
At least six people were killed and eight people were reportedly injured when a small plane crashed into a military housing community early Thursday morning, damaging around 10 homes, several vehicles and displacing about 100 people.
The Cessna 550 crashed around 3:45 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Sample and Salmon streets in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, near Tierrasanta, just west of the Admiral Baker Golf Course.
Police said at least two people are confirmed dead, but investigators have not confirmed their identities.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that there were six passengers aboard the 1985 Cessna 550 Citation.
The Cessna, registered in Alaska, departed New Jersey around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and made a refueling stop in Wichita, Kansas, before continuing toward San Diego, according to Flightaware.com. NTSB investigators believe the plane was headed for Montgomery Field.
FAA records showed that the plane was registered to an Alaskan company owned by Dave Shapiro, a music industry agent who owned and co-founded El Cajon-based talent agency Sound Talent Group.
Billboard reported that Shapiro and two other Sound Talent Group employees were among those killed, citing a statement from a company spokesperson that read, “We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time.”
While the identities of those onboard await official confirmation, another suspected passenger is Daniel Williams, former drummer for the metal band The Devil Wears Prada.
Williams’ social media activity indicates he was onboard a plane with Shapiro on Wednesday night.
Pictures posted Wednesday night from Williams’ Instagram page show a plane bearing a registration number that matches the plane investigators say crashed Thursday morning. A caption reads “Flying back with @davevelocity,” which is Shapiro’s Instagram handle, while another picture appears to be taken from the co-pilot’s seat of the plane.
Early Thursday afternoon, The Devil Wears Prada posted several pictures of Williams on their social media pages, with a caption reading, “No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
Eight people on the ground were reported injured, though fire department officials described most of those injuries as minor.
The crash destroyed one home and sparked fires at several others, with flames spreading to cars and other debris in the neighborhood. San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Assistant Chief Dan Eddy said all of the homes that were damaged were occupied when the impact occurred.
By 7:45 a.m., most of the fires had been extinguished except for a vehicle fire that refused to go out, fire officials said.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said more than 50 officers were able to get to the crash site in minutes and then started evacuating the area and homes.
“With the jet fuel going down the street, and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see,” Wahl said.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation. Eddy said it was foggy at the time the private plane crashed. “You could barely see in front of you,” he said.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Elliott Simpson said at a Thursday afternoon briefing that the plane struck powerlines about two miles southeast of the airport, then collided with a house. Simpson declined to say whether the Cessna striking the powerlines was related to the cause of the crash, but said fragments of the plane were found beneath the powerlines.
A preliminary NTSB report is expected to be released in about two weeks, he said.
Some streets in the area surrounding the crash site were expected to be temporarily closed during the investigation.
By 2:30 p.m., police reported that Taussig Street and Yorktown Drive had reopened to vehicle traffic, but Sample Street, Salmon Street and parts of Santo Road will remain closed while NTSB conducts its investigation.
A temporary evacuation center was set up at 4343 Shields St. at Miller Elementary School.
Hancock and Miller elementary schools were closed Thursday, but both schools were expected to reopen Friday to a normal school schedule, according to the San Diego Unified School District.
Officials said some 130 personnel were assigned to the fire, including 13 engines, five trucks and four medical supervisors. The Red Cross and San Diego Humane Society assisted in the effort, with Humane Society officials saying they took in at least a dozen animals at their campuses. Some of the animals required decontamination after jet fuel was found on their bodies.
Authorities advised anyone who smells jet fuel or finds debris near the scene of the crash site to call 619-531-2000. Those who had to leave their animals behind were advised to call the San Diego Humane Society emergency response team at 619-299-7012 or go to sdhumane.org/lost.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or had video footage was asked to contact NTSB at [email protected].
The San Diego Police Department issued a statement late Thursday afternoon that read, “Our hearts and thoughts go out to all the families affected by this tragedy, and we stand with the community during their time of need. We also extend our immense gratitude to all local, state, and federal agencies who have played an active role in responding and supporting those affected by this incident.”
In a statement, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said, “We have had an extraordinary response effort here led by San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and San Diego Police Department. What you see is a collaborative effort with county, state and federal partners as well as our partners in the community. Our city will be supporting these families who were impacted here. They are a part of the military community that makes up our city. Proud partners of our community. And we will support them for as long as it takes to make sure we get back to good here in Tierrasanta.”
Gloria continued, “On behalf of our city, I extend my condolences to the families and loved ones of those aboard the plane. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, San Diego Police Department, CalFire and military police for their swift, coordinated response that quickly evacuated residents, extinguished fires and secured the area to ensure this tragedy was not compounded. San Diego will support the Navy as they assist the residents affected by this tragedy,” Gloria added.
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