Scene size-up
Fairwinds Airport lies within a densely populated area. It is the home of many private aircraft, executive air services, and a small commercial fleet. It has a small onsite rescue and fire capability and has repair and snow removal assets. The airport is situated at the southern end of an industrial park that contains office, warehousing, and light manufacturing businesses. The airport is surrounded by access roads to the south and by major roadways on the other three sides of its property. A high school complex is located to the west at Moonachie and Terrace. The complex includes the school district offices, a high school, a sports stadium, and a gymnasium. The school has a population of 1,800 students in grades 9 through 12.
At 7:33 AM, a small executive jet containing six passengers and crew owned by Global Investments attempted to take off to the north, but failed to lift from the runway and crashed through the chain link fence at the end of the airport property. The plane then crossed a major roadway (Route 46), striking four vehicles. It crashed and came to rest inside the adjoining property to the north, which is an industrial complex including an office complex with 230 day-shift employees. Fires fueled from the jet’s ruptured tanks erupted at the office complex and in 20 vehicles in the parking lot. The fuselage penetrated a pool chemical storage warehouse, causing ruptured storage containers and a fire in the building.
911 was inundated with calls and initiated the EMS, Fire, and Law Enforcement response. Bloggers, listening to scanners, are claiming the chemical fire will poison the air and that hundreds are dead.
Conditions:
Three passengers on the aircraft are fatalities. The remaining passengers have suffered severe burns and injuries.
Two motorists struck by the plane are dead, and several more motorists are trapped in damaged vehicles.
The office complex has suffered structural damage to the south wall at the point of impact.
An unknown number of fatalities are reported from inside the office complex.
Many injured office workers are being assisted by coworkers and emergency responders throughout the complex interior and parking areas.
Cars continue to burn in the complex parking area.
Traffic is halted on the major roadways in the area.
Media helicopters and trucks arrive and begin live broadcast.
Weather is clear and winds are from the west at 8 miles per hour.
