Two people have died after a small plane crashed into the front garden of a house in western Germany, sparking a huge fire and emergency response. The aircraft crashed into the terrace of a residential building in Korschenbroich, near Mönchengladbach in North Rhine-Westphalia, on Saturday afternoon.
It’s not yet clear what caused the crash, but officials have confirmed that the plane hit the property and caught fire shortly after impact. Emergency services said two people were killed, including the pilot. It is unknown whether the second person was on board the aircraft or in the house.
Thick black smoke could be seen rising into the sky, with fire and police crews rushing to the area.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident but had no immediate information on the cause of the crash.
The crash site, located just minutes from Mönchengladbach, was cordoned off by police as emergency services worked to contain the fire and secure the area.
Elsewhere in Germany, a separate explosion destroyed a house in the village of Bretthausen in the Westerwald district, more than 100 miles away from the plane crash.
The explosion happened at around 7am on Saturday and caused a large fire that completely gutted the home.
Black smoke from the blaze was visible for miles, including from nearby Siegerland Airport.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the second incident. Three adults and two children managed to escape before the flames engulfed the building.
Firefighters also prevented the fire from spreading to neighbouring homes, though a nearby workshop and car were damaged.
The cause of the explosion is not yet known, and an investigation is under way.
German news outlet BILD reported that more than 100 firefighters were deployed to tackle the flames.
