William Roberts

Fullerton Crash

An American Airlines passenger jet exploded in midair above Cal State Fullerton today. At least 30 people were killed on the ground and injuries totals exceed 60. At this point, no survivors of the 234 people aboard have been found.

The flight from Chicago bound for John Wayne Airport sent a distress call to the airport control tower at approximately 11:27 AM this morning. It advised there was an unspecified security emergency aboard. The flight control tower had detected that the flight was off-course and at low altitudes.

Around 11:29 AM, several witnesses reported hearing a very loud explosion and instantly seeing the plane consumed in fire. Rosa Torres, a CSUF junior, said, “I was on my way to the library, when I heard this horrible boom. The sky got all lit up, and I could see that a big jet was falling apart. All the pieces were coming down on fire. I just ran and kept on running. There was all kinds of screaming.”

While the cause of the explosion is unknown, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department suggested that a mechanical failure was not involved due to the distress call from the cockpit shortly before the explosion. The FAA, the TSA, and the FBI are expected to investigate.

The areas affected include the Cal State Fullerton campus and approximately 20 surrounding blocks. According to the Orange County Sheriff, the campus and many nearby homes have sustained extensive damage. Search and rescue efforts continue and are expected to extend for many more hours.

In addition, Sheriff’s Lt. Jose Ramos indicated that the number of casualty is expected to increase. Emergency crews from Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside counties are expected to aid in this major disaster.

American Airlines are expected to release a statement shortly. The company will release a list of passengers and crew of the 234 people aboard. In addition, call centers will be set up and grief counselors will be made available.

John Wayne Airport will halt all flights pending further investigation. Cal State Fullerton will halt all classes. The campus remains closed until all debris from the explosion is cleared.