SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk Fire & Rescue responded to a small plane crash in a rural part of southern Suffolk, not far from Suffolk Executive Airport, in which two people reportedly died.
According to a spokesperson for Virginia State Police, the crash was reported at around 12:15 p.m. She said this is a small passenger plane of unknown make or model, and that it had been fully engulfed in fire after the crash.
Christian Fauchald, 54, and Eric Bergevin, 53, both of North Carolina, died in the crash, according to officials.
A spokesperson for Suffolk Fire & Rescue said the crash, which happened about a quarter mile off the road in the 3900 block of Carolina Road, "caused a large area of brush and trees to catch fire," with "homes in the area threatened by the rapidly progressing fire." This resulted in a three-alarm callout.
He said the fire spread across about 35 acres of open field and forest. He said all residents in the area who are affected were safely evacuated.
Brush fire caused by plane crash in Suffolk
The spokesperson said the fire was brought under control at around 3:45 p.m.
The spokesperson for Virginia State Police said they are the lead agency investigating the incident. She said the FAA and NTSB have also been notified.
Suffolk Fire & Rescue assisted in extinguishing the fire and securing the scene from any other fires and hazards, and the Suffolk Police Department assisted in providing a perimeter to the area.
Some residents in the area told 13News Now at the scene they were concerned for their homes.
“We heard a boom and I looked at my mother and asked her, ‘What was that?’” said Kimberly Ellis.
Ellis has lived in Suffolk her whole life. She said the brush fire worried her, citing a months-long fire in The Great Dismal Swamp more than a decade ago.
“My parents were really worried about that because they kept popping up but it lasted for such a long time," Ellis recalled.
Neighbors in the area said it’s not unusual to see planes fly over their homes, but they were shocked after a plane crashed within eyesight of their front doors.
“We drive past that every single day. So, to see that whole field back there, it was just crazy," said Kyndra Leake, a Suffolk resident.
Ellis hopes crews stay vigilant and keep an eye on the area overnight.
“I’m hoping and praying that everybody on the scene over there—somebody will be watching overnight to be sure that our community out here is safe,” she said.
But all neighbors that spoke to 13News Now shared one sentiment: their thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families.
