Los Angeles, Jan 3 : A tragic plane crash shook Fullerton, California, as a single-engine aircraft slammed into a commercial building near Fullerton Municipal Airport, approximately 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The incident left two people dead and 18 others injured, according to local authorities.

The Fullerton Police Department confirmed the fatalities in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, while also reporting that 10 people were transported to nearby hospitals and eight others were treated at the scene. Details regarding the identities of the deceased or whether they were aboard the aircraft or inside the building remain unclear.

The crash, occurred on Thursday afternoon, involved a Van’s RV-10, a four-seat single-engine plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The agency has launched an investigation into the incident, but the cause of the crash is still unknown.

Witnesses described the moment of impact as chaotic. "All we hear is like a loud noise, boom, and that's it. Then we started running out," said Jerome Cruz, an employee inside the building at the time of the crash, in an interview with CBS News.

Television footage captured the aftermath, showing a massive hole in the building's roof with smoke coming out into the sky. Emergency crews swiftly arrived to contain the fire and assist the injured.

This marks the second aviation accident near Fullerton Airport in recent months, following a November crash that injured two people. The incident has raised questions about safety protocols in the area, as officials continue their efforts to uncover the circumstances leading to the tragedy. Further details are awaited as the investigation is underway.