Thursday multifunctional lightweight fighter F-16 crashed near the air force base March Air Force Reserve Base in southern California. The plane crashed into a warehouse situated right next to the runway.
Officer of public relations Perry Covington said that the building caught fire, but the fire prevented the fire system. Covington added that the pilot managed to eject and now he’s fine.
BREAKING:
F-16 reportedly crashes into a commercial building near March Air Force Base in Riverside, California 🇺🇸 pilot has ejected safely 👍 pic.twitter.com/7UIdnZ6Fwl
— Fighter-pictures (@fighterpics) May 17, 2019
According to captain Fernando Herrera of the fire brigade of the County, 12 people suffered minor injuries. People and companies within a radius of 4,000 feet from the building evacuated. Warehouse worker Daniel Gallegos told KABC-TV: «I heard an explosion, turned to the back of the building and saw the flames. The roof of the building began to fall. I turned back and my colleague told me to get out of there, and then I ran.»
Team working with toxic and flammable materials inspected the building on Thursday evening to check if there’s something unsafe for people, and make sure after the incident there is nothing left that can harm the local environment and business.
About whether or not in the plane any weapons, not reported.
An F-16 pilot refers to the 144 th fighter wing National guard of California, and the aircraft belongs to the military base and South Dakota Air National Guard in Sioux falls, South Dakota.
F-16 passed a training flight under the Command of the aerospace defense of North America, said chief of the fire protection Reserve base March Air Force Base Timothy Holliday. «There is a problem of hydraulics. The pilot began to lose control of the plane,» said Holliday. He added: «the Plane did not lead to a large fire or explosion that can be considered a miracle.»
#BREAKING: F-16 fighter jet crashes into building in Riverside County https://t.co/XwiNibGsZj pic.twitter.com/yltvZDs4Gw
— KRON4 News (@kron4news) May 16, 2019
«Every pilot flying fighter aircraft have ejection seat, you have to make a decision even before the plane took off «When I catapulters?» and don’t wait too long to understand that the aircraft is no longer airworthy and should be selected»,- commented on the incident, Steve Ganyard, a retired Colonel.
