A PLANE carrying a child patient and five others has crashed in Philadelphia just 30 seconds after taking off.
Harrowing footage shows the devastating aftermath of the fireball explosion which has left a scene of carnage in its wake just days on from the Washington DC aviation disaster.
Terrifying dashcam footage showed the plane – believed to be a medical transport jet – falling from the sky in a streak of white and erupting into flames as it hit the ground.
The light aircraft is said to have hit several buildings and collided with cars in a residential neighborhood near Roosevelt shopping mall and a busy intersection just after 6pm on Friday.
The company who own the plane, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, confirmed the young patient and another passenger were on board.
Four other crew members including a pilot were also in the aircraft when it crashed, they said.
The company announced in a statement: “We cannot confirm any survivors.
“Our immediate concern is for the patients family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground.”
No deaths have been confirmed yet.
President Donald Trump, who has been tirelessly working with Washington officials on the fatal collision on Wednesday, made a statement tonight on the crash saying “more innocent souls lost”.
He said: “So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged.”
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said at an emergency press briefing several houses were “impacted”.
She added that the number of casualties is currently unknown.
The plane, believed to be a twin-engine Learjet 55, quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport airport at 6:06 pm and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet.
It was en route to Springfield, Missouri, according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.
Just 30 seconds after taking off, it crashed in a huge fireball explosion near to Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.
Doorbell camera footage showed the plane plummetting to the ground and lighting up the sky in a huge explosion.
Jim Quinn, the owner of the doorbell camera, said: “All we heard was a loud roar and didnt know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume.”
Other videos circulating online show the streets of Northeast Philadelphia covered in plane debris with a large fire appearing to burn in the middle of the street.
Several fires are said to have broken out following the intial explosion.
Black clouds of smoke can be seen billowing through the sky as dozens of terrified onlookers rush to safety.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and are currently battling against the flames.
The crash site is said to be just three miles away from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.
Philadelphia’s office of emergency management took to X to confirm a “major incident” was underway.
He urged people to avoid the area and said the surrounding roads were all closed.
It is still unclear what may have caused the crash.
Radio messages from air traffic control reportedly described the jet as a “medevac” flight.
Deadly Washington DC crash
It comes as America continues to mourn the deaths of up to 67 people after a harrowing plane collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
On Wednesday evening, the American Airlines plane smashed into a Black Hawk that was flying in the middle of its descent path.
It’s the deadliest US air crash since November 2001, when 260 people died after a plane plunged into a New York City neighborhood.
First responders quickly realised the rescue mission was a recovery operation after spending hours searching Washington DC‘s freezing Potomac River.
Days on from the crash and just 40 bodies have been pulled from the river.
Dedicated crews are still searching for any more remains as they navigate the shattered plane wreckage that fell upside down into the murky water.
The U.S. Sun captured exclusive footage of the grim scene with divers continuing to swim through the death-strewn waters.
Children, world-class athletes, and a group of hunting buddies have all been identified as the victims so far.
A large portion of the flight from Wichita, Kansas, was coming from the US National Championships for ice skating.
Teen skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane boarded the plane with their mothers and their coaches – Russian couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Little sisters Alydia and Everly Livingston, who were 11 and 14 years old, were also on the doomed flight.
Another victim, 30-year-old Kiah Duggins, was a former Miss Kansas contestant and Harvard Law graduate who previously worked as an intern for Michelle Obama.
Two of the three soldiers onboard the Black Hawk have been named as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Crew Chief Ryan O’Hara, 28.
The third soldier’s identity wasn’t released at the request of their family.
The first officer of the American Airlines flight was named as Sam Lilley, a 28-year-old who was newly engaged.
'Scared' travelers return to Ronald Reagan airport
By Senior Reporter Israel Salas-Rodriguez in Washington DC:
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is up and running again after a Black Hawk chopper crashed into an American Airlines flight preparing for arrival just before 9 pm on Wednesday leaving 67 people dead.
After closing for 14 hours following the collision, DCA reopened at 11 am on Thursday.
“I’m flying out, it’s pretty tragic,” Abhi, a 25-year-old traveler told The U.S. Sun at the airport.
“I fly regularly and so it does make me feel a little bit more aware than I usually do when I’m flying.
“So, definitely I feel a little bit more aware and scared, but you got to keep going and got to move on you know.”
A Maryland resident named Carlos Estrada told The U.S. Sun he was waiting for his sister’s flight to arrive from Arkansas after it was rerouted to New York.
“She’s very concerned, she’s been texting me the whole time,” Estrada said.
“It makes me uneasy. We’re all here hurting in some way.”
