Small plane crashes into Tokyo residential area; 3 dead, 5 injured, houses

A small airplane crashed into a residential neighborhood in Tokyo Sunday, setting buildings ablaze and leaving three people dead, public broadcaster NHK reported.

A Tokyo Fire Department spokesman said: “Four people were involved in the accident and three of them were rescued, but we don’t know about further details, including their condition”. One person was rescued unconscious from the plane after the crash and another woman was found unconscious among the wreckage on the ground, the Fire Department said.

NHK, quoting police, said two people on board and one female local resident were killed in the accident.

The area where the place went down is located just southeast of Chofu airport which, with an 800-meter-long runway, is mainly served by small propeller aircraft.

At least five dwellings, several cars and the five-seated aircraft itself have been set afire, according to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism representative, saying the plane came down at 10:58 a.m. local time (01:58 GMT) shortly after takeoff.

Firefighters at the site of the plane crash in suburban Tokyo.

“Immediately, though, I heard a loud boom and saw smoke rising”.