Authorities sifted through burned cars and charred debris Saturday to gather clues that might explain why an air ambulance exploded into a fiery ball as it crashed to the ground in Philadelphia, leaving no survivors on board.
The small plane carrying six people, including a child who had just undergone treatment at a hospital, crashed onto a busy intersection just after takeoff from the small Northeast Philadelphia Airport.
Authorities couldn’t say why the jet crashed and Adam Thiel, the city’s managing director, said it could be days — or more — until authorities are able to confirm the number of dead and injured.
As of Saturday morning, officials confirmed seven dead — six on the jet, one person on the ground — and 19 injured.
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A medical plane carrying a child patient and 5 others crashes in Philadelphia, setting homes ablaze
Spokespersons for hospitals treating the injured, Temple University Hospital-Jeanes and Jefferson Health, said most of the patients they saw had been treated and released by midday Saturday, but at least three were admitted and remain hospitalized.