Two fatalities have been confirmed after a small plane collided with a self-storage facility near Lowell yesterday afternoon. According to WOOD TV8, the incident occurred close to Lowell City Airport, prompting a response from 15 fire departments to contain the blaze stimulated by the accident. The victims have not yet been identified as authorities work to contact next of kin, following the recovery of the bodies from the wreckage.
Sgt. Scott Dietrich of the Kent County Sheriff's Office stated that witnesses described the aircraft as a small, private plane and that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had been called in to investigate the circumstances of the crash, as reported by FOX 17 News. The plane was identified as a Vans RV-14, a two-seat kit aircraft, as per the manufacturer's website details. Meanwhile, the site of the crash, near the intersection of Vergennes Street and Lincoln Lake Avenue, was smothered in smoke and flames observable from considerable distances. Local residents recounted the incident, with some witnessing the plane flying low before a shocking boom rang out, accompanied by a massive fireball and copious black smoke.
The event has reverberated through the Lowell community, prompting expressions of worry and astonishment from locals witnessing the scene. A nearby resident, Skye Dixon, described a cloak of black smoke mistaken initially for a blaze at her residence, as mentioned by WOOD TV8, stating, "(I) just saw huge clouds of black smoke. Thought it was my house ’cause I’m right next door." Another onlooker, Brady Swift, told WOOD TV8 that the plane was flying low before the crash, and he witnessed flames following the sound of the crash. Sgt. Dietrich, speaking to WZZM 13, emphasized that the FAA is taking the lead on the investigation to uncover the crash's cause.
As the community grapples with the aftereffects of this catastrophe, the roads surrounding the site were closed to facilitate emergency response operations; traffic was rerouted along Bailey Drive and East Fulton Street. The investigation by federal agencies is ongoing, and more details will be released as they uncover what led to the crash and confirm the identities of the victims.
