A small plane crashed into a house in Akron, Ohio, on Thursday afternoon, killing both people aboard and setting the structure on fire, according to authorities.
The aircraft, a 1963 Piper Cherokee single-engine plane, had departed from Akron Fulton Airport when it went down around 3:45 p.m., according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The two occupants of the plane were found dead inside the aircraft. As of Thursday evening, Akron Fire District Chief Sierjie Lash said authorities were working to obtain the victims' names from the airport.
The crash triggered a significant fire response, with heavy smoke visible at the scene. The fire has since been extinguished, according to Lash.
A couple and their two children were inside the home when the plane struck it. No one on the ground was injured. The impacted house and a neighboring residence were evacuated as a precaution, according to the Akron Fire Department.
Lash told ABC Cleveland affiliate WEWS that it was "very fortunate" that the family inside the home was safe.
Residents near the crash site were advised to avoid the area as emergency personnel remained active at the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.
