A small plane crash in a residential area east of Portland, Oregon, has left three people dead and multiple homes destroyed by fire. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday morning when a twin-engine Cessna 421C aircraft went down near Troutdale Airport, crashing into a row of townhouses in the city of Fairview.

The crash, which took place around 10:30 a.m., caused a significant fire that quickly spread to at least four homes, displacing up to six families. Gresham Fire Chief Scott Lewis reported that two individuals were treated at the scene for injuries, though the severity of their injuries has not been disclosed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft involved and noted that there were two people on board. Initially, authorities had reported that one resident of the affected homes was unaccounted for, but later updates confirmed that three people had lost their lives.

Photos and videos captured by local media showed one of the townhouses fully engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke pouring out of the surrounding homes. The fire was intense enough to cause significant damage, displacing several families who now face the daunting task of recovery.

As the plane descended, it knocked over a utility pole and power lines, which sparked a brush fire in a nearby field. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office noted that the plane was split into multiple parts upon impact, creating a devastating scene in the neighborhood of Fairview, a community of around 10,000 residents.

Firefighters were first alerted to the blaze by staff at the Troutdale Airport’s control tower, who reported seeing a thick plume of smoke rising from the crash site. According to Chief Lewis, there were no distress signals or emergency calls from the aircraft before it went down, adding to the mystery surrounding the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken charge of the investigation and has dispatched two investigators to the scene to document the wreckage. As of now, no further details about the cause of the crash have been released.

Troutdale Airport, overseen by the Port of Portland, is described as a facility primarily used for flight training and recreational aviation, making this incident particularly unusual and tragic for the local community. As investigators work to determine the cause, the neighborhood of Fairview is left grappling with the aftermath of this devastating event.