Feb 1 (Reuters) – Several fatalities were reported on Thursday after a small plane crashed into and demolished a mobile home in Clearwater, Florida, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Images posted online by the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department showed flames and smoke billowing from the destroyed home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I can confirm that we have several fatalities both from the aircraft and within” the mobile home the plane crashed into, Clearwater Fire Chief Scott Ehlers said in a press briefing late on Thursday. He did not give the exact number of fatalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pilot had radioed in a Mayday distress call, Ehlers said earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The aircraft, a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza V35, crashed into the residential area after the pilot reported an engine failure, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson was quoted as saying by CNN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was not clear how many people were on the plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One person on the ground also received a minor injury and refused treatment, said Ehlers, who said the pilot was dead, according to reports from the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In all, four homes were damaged in the mobile home park where the crash occurred, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“A mobile home doesn’t withstand much in the first place, so the aircraft pretty much demolished it. The fire consumed the rest,” Ehlers said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Neighbor Steven Ascari, who posted video of the scene on social media, said first responders arrived quickly and put out the flames within half an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We heard an explosion outside that shook the entire apartment and next thing you know a giant pillar of smoke was seen,” Ascari said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clearwater is a city of about 117,000 people on the Gulf Coast about 24 miles (40 km) west of Tampa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fire officials said the first call came in at 7:08 p.m. EST on Thursday (0008 GMT on Friday).<\/p>\n\n\n\n