JET TRAGEDY
Girl, 6, flying home from life-saving treatment with mom among 7 killed in Philadelphia plane crash including car driver
Horrifying footage shows the plane fall from the sky before exploding
A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl flying home from life-saving treatment with her mom were among seven people killed in the Philadelphia plane crash.
Harrowing footage shows a fireball erupting in front of terrified onlookers after a medical jet plunged from the sky - killing all on board as well as a driver on the ground.
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The crash left debris and burnt out vehicles strewn across up to six different blocks areas just days on from the Washington DC aviation disaster.
Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed in a statement on Saturday all on board had died, including the six-year-old, her mother, a doctor, paramedic, pilot and co-pilot.
The child had been in recovery after a major procedure back in September and was heading home to Mexico on the medical transport jet, according to .
Parker today said a driver on the ground was killed when the plane smashed into a road - and 19 others have been left injured.
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Everyone on board the flight was from Mexico with the jet's final destination being Tijuana.
Terrifying dashcam footage showed the plane falling from the sky in a streak of white.
A bright orange fireball erupts into the sky and lights up the night following the deadly impact.
It is said to have hit several buildings as it descended into a residential neighborhood near a mall and a busy intersection just after 6pm on Friday.
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The patient on board the medical flight had been treated at Shriners Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, spokesperson Mel Bower tells CBS News.
Her treatment had ended and on Friday the girl had enjoyed an end-of-treatment celebration just hours before she died.
Haunting moment DC disaster rescue teams comb for bodies as planes continue to fly over crash site
Bower said: "It's extremely hard and extremely difficult, those that were involved directly in her care were very aware that she was going to be traveling home and there had actually been a send off for her."
Mayor Parker said: "Many people on the ground – in parking lots, on streets, in cars and homes in the area – were injured."
She added something "went terribly wrong" leading to the crash.
Some six were earlier confirmed as injured with come being treated at Temple University Hospital's Jeanes Campus.
The Learjet 55 had taken off only 30 seconds earlier from Northeast Philadelphia Airport before it plunged to the ground, the FAA said.
It was due to stop in Springfield-Branson National Airport, Missouri.
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Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which operated the flight, said on Friday night it could not confirm any survivors following the disaster.
In a statement, they said: "Our immediate concern is for the patients family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground."
One eyewitness told local news site WPVI the crash was "horrific” and said it was “Earthquak-ish.”
They said: “I was just driving down the street, coming to Wendy’s and I just saw a plane basically hit the building and it exploded.
"The sky light up and I pulled over and basically, it was just real bad around here. It lit up the whole sky.”
President Donald Trump, who has been tirelessly working with Washington officials on the fatal collision on Wednesday, addressed the crash.
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He said: "So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
"More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged."
Philadelphia Parker said at an emergency press briefing on Friday that several houses were also damaged in the crash.
The plane, a twin-engine Learjet 55, quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport airport at 6:06pm and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet.
Just 30 seconds after taking off, it crashed in a huge fireball explosion near to Cottman and Bustleton Avenues and Roosevelt Mall.
Doorbell camera footage showed the plane plummeting to the ground and lighting up the sky in a huge explosion.
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Jim Quinn, the owner of the doorbell camera, said: "All we heard was a loud roar and didn't know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume."
A large fire burned in the middle of the street following the horror crash.
Several fires are said to have broken out following the initial explosion.
Black clouds of smoke could be seen billowing through the sky as dozens of terrified onlookers rush to safety.
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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.
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.
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It's the deadliest US air crash since November 2001, when 260 people died after a plane plunged into a New York City neighborhood.
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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.
'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.”
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