Greenacres residents scramble for shelter after Learjet crash kills nine
Debris from the aircraft scattered across the neighborhood, leaving 600 locals without homes Sunday night.
By Bianca Herrera ·
Hundreds of residents in Greenacres lost their homes Sunday after a Learjet 60 crashed into a road, killing all nine people on board.
Anthony Blackmon, who lived about 500 feet from the impact site, described the moment debris struck his property. "Debris hit my house. Everything was on fire. The road was on fire," he said. Blackmon noted that he had always viewed such crashes as distant events until the plane fell near his home.
Roger Forcelle, another neighbor, felt the aircraft pass directly overhead before the crash. He said the vibration shook his entire house and forced residents to exit their homes. Forcelle estimated the impact occurred less than half a mile from his residence.
Witnesses described the scene as looking like a meteor had struck the earth, with a large hole visible in the ground. Smoke continued to rise from the area, preventing Forcelle from returning to his home after he had left to run errands.
District 3 Commissioner Joel Flores stated that officials were working to secure shelter for approximately 600 people affected by the crash. Many of the displaced residents lived in a nearby mobile home park.
Flores confirmed that the Red Cross was standing by to assist those affected. He said the immediate priority was ensuring residents had a safe place to stay Sunday night.
