Two people were killed after a small plane crashed into several semitrailers, setting them on fire, on Sunday afternoon near an airfield outside Fort Worth, the authorities said.
The crash happened around 1:30 p.m. near Hicks Airfield at a business complex surrounded by small businesses and suburban homes.
Robbie Hoy, a public information officer for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed that a plane had crashed and that there were two fatalities.
He provided no further details. He said the Federal Aviation Administration would be taking over the investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that it was investigating the crash of the plane, a Beech King Air C90.
It was unknown what led up to the crash.
Lois Kinman, a representative for the airfield, Hicks Airfield, said that the plane was not based there. She said she did not have any additional information.
Witnesses described clouds of billowing black smoke and scenes of mayhem as some rushed to try to help.
Gregory Delano, 20, who was inside a nearby pool hall with about 75 others for his weekly league game, said someone ran inside and said there had been a plane crash, and that they needed help.
He said that he and a friend ran out the side door, jumped a concrete fence behind the building, and climbed a hill toward the scene.
As they approached, he said, they saw “a huge ball of fire and smoke.” Mr. Delano said he walked the perimeter but did not see any signs of life.
“You honestly couldn’t even tell a plane was inside that fire,” he said.
Near the crash site, another witness, Lauren Anderson, a cashier at an animal feed store, said that she had seen a “giant black cloud of smoke” that seemed at least 100 feet wide.
“There was probably about a 20-, 30-minute window where it was just nonstop emergency vehicles,” she said.
Later, the smoke had cleared, Ms. Anderson said.
“Honestly, it just kind of looks like nothing even happened,” she added. “It’s like, a weird feeling, knowing something did.”
Deah Mitchell contributed reporting.
Livia Albeck-Ripka is a Times reporter based in Los Angeles, covering breaking news, California and other subjects.
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