Philadelphia plane crash: Death toll rises after medical aircraft explodes over Roosevelt mall, busy roadway

Philadelphia residents and shoppers have been left running for cover after a medical transport exploded above a local shopping mall and houses reportedly killing all six occupants as emergency crews try to contain multiple fireballs.

As the US reels from another tragedy only days after an American Airlines passenger jet was downed in Washington the latest plane crash disaster reportedly involved a medial transport aircraft which may have exploded in the air and plummeted into a local neighbourhood.

The aircraft is reported as a Jetrescue air ambulance that would have been carrying full tanks of gas after the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the Learjet 55 departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri a short time before the explosion.

The Roosevelt Mall in downtown Philadelphia is on fire as are several houses, cars and shops surrounding the car park of the shopping centre after the plane broke up around the area.

A massive fireball erupted soon after the plane crashed into the facility creating several fires with people reporting finding plane parts scattered in the surrounding suburb and along Roosevelt Boulevarde.

Federal Secretary for the Department of Transport Sean Duffy stated on social media that the Learjet 55 crashed at around 6.30pm local time after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

Mr Duffy stated there were reportedly six people on board and the plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

Reports claim the six people aboard the flight consisted of two pilots, two doctors, a patient and one family member.

Every firefighter and police officer in the area responded to the scene as local workers in cafes and restaurants were seen running through the streets to avoid the various fires.

“I just saw a big old explosion and thought it was a gas leak,” a local cafe worker said.

“Then I saw a plane and all the fires and everybody just ran out of the cafes and restaurants.”

A local McDonald’s store has been peppered with debris with reports stating there are pieces of the aircraft everywhere around the store and an oxygen tank branded as medical has been found over 300m from where the plane exploded.

The flight which left the airport around 6pm local time went off radar at 6.06pm when the explosion occurred.

Graphic images are emerging on social media of cars that were located at the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevarde bursting into flames after parts of the plane landed on top of them with occupants of cars seen exiting vehicles trying to flee the fireballs.