A plane has crashed into a Fedex truck and then into a building in the Southern California town of San Luis Obispo. The plane took off from the San Luis Obispo airport about a mile away from the crash sight. At least one person is confirmed dead.
This story is developing and we will update as we get more information.
Here’s what we know so far.
1. There is One Confirmed Fatality
One person confirmed dead in San Luis Obispo plane crash.
— KSBY (@KSBY) June 24, 2013
The one fatality is believed to be the pilot, according to local news station KSBY. Local publication The Tribune said:
According to Richard Howell, SLO airport manager, the pilot was taking off from the airport and talked to the control tower about having problems; it’s not yet known what those problems were.
2. The Plane Crashed into a Fedex truck and a Promega Biotech Building
The diver of the Fedex truck was dropping off packages at the time of the crash and was therefore left untouched by the collision that destroyed most of his truck.
According to the company’s website, Promega is a company that produces bio-chemical and bio-technical products such as enzymes as well as numerous other products relating to genetics and cellular analysis. Their website says:
Founded in 1978, what started as the production of enzymes for researchers has evolved to offering over 2,000 products for a broad array of applications including basic research, drug discovery, forensics and paternity testing, and hospital and clinic-based diagnostics.
There is no word yet if any potentially harmful chemicals on the premises were disturbed or spilled during the crash.
3. The Crash Occurred in San Luis Obispo, California
The address of the Promega plant was 277 Granada Drive. Here is what it looks like on Google street view. As of 2010, the town had just over 45,000 residents. The crash comes in the wake of a few days of power and internet outages across the town of Lan Luis Obispo.
1. Power outage lasting 8 hours last night 2. Internet outages today at work 3. Plane crash across the street from my office #SLOPowerOutage
— Valrah Rountree (@vlrhkyrntr) June 24, 2013
4. The Plane was a Cessna Skymaster
According to local publication The Tribune, the plane was a Skymaster 337, a small but “reliable and popular” airplane that stopped being produced by Cessna in 1980. The plane is about 30 feet long and has a wingspan of around 38 feet.
5. There May be Relatively Low Injuries
Driver of FedEx truck was unloading packages and was not injured in the plane crash that struck his vehicle in San Luis Obispo…
— Sandra Duerr (@SandraDuerr) June 24, 2013
With an exception to the casualty, currently believed to be the plane’s pilot, it is believed that there may be a relatively low level of injuries.
The plane crashed next to the @promega building on Granada; no Promega employees are believed injured http://t.co/Wh18gBq5dH #SLO
— The Tribune (@SLOTribune) June 24, 2013
Our thoughts are with all affected by today’s plane crash in SLO. We are relieved to hear that all Promega Biosciences employees are ok.
— SLO Chamber (@slochamber) June 24, 2013