Palm Beach Learjet crash kills nine, displaces 600 residents

A Learjet 60 crashed into a road in the Greenacres section of Palm Beach on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft nose-dived, creating a large hole in the ground and scattering debris across the neighborhood.

Anthony Blackmon, a resident living 500 feet from the impact site, described the scene as terrifying. He stated that debris struck his home and that both the road and his house caught fire. Blackmon noted that he had always seen plane crashes on the news but never expected one to happen so close to his home.

Roger Forcelle, another nearby resident, said he felt the aircraft pass overhead just before it hit the ground. He reported that the sound shook his entire house and that neighbors rushed outside. Forcelle added that he saw a cloud of smoke rising from the area and was unable to return home after leaving to run errands.

The crash displaced hundreds of people living near a mobile home park. District 3 Commissioner Joel Flores said officials are working to ensure approximately 600 affected individuals have safe shelter for Sunday night. Flores indicated that the Red Cross is on standby to provide additional services to those displaced by the incident.

One witness to the aftermath described the scene as looking like a meteor had hit the ground. The immediate focus for local officials is securing temporary housing for the displaced residents.