(Fox 32)
A small plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in a northern Illinois city Thursday morning, killing the pilot and torching the side of a home.
Although it was unclear how many were aboard the aircraft, Joliet City Manager Jim Hock said no other injuries resulted from the crash, adding that such an outcome was "very fortunate".
Authorities believe the fuel tank ruptured when the plane hit the street and ignited a fire that spread to a house to the north, Joliet Deputy Fire Chief Ray Randich said at a news conference.
— Kyle (@K_Hold97) July 21, 2016
The crash happened in Plainfield, which is next to Joliet, but the Joliet Fire Department responded to the scene.
It wasn't immediately known where the aircraft took off from or where it was headed. Joliet Municipal Airport and Clow Airport in Bolingbrook are both in close proximity to the crash site.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinaro said the agency has sent a team to the crash site to determine the type of aircraft involved in the crash and gather information that will be passed on to the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB will lead the investigation and determine the cause of the crash.
Aerial television video of the crash site showed that siding from that home was peeling from the structure and smoke rose from the inside. Video also showed parts of a small plane scattered in a street and in the lawn and driveway of a home.
Plainfield is about 40 miles southwest of Chicago.
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