F-16 fighter jet crashes into warehouse outside California Air Reserve Base; pilot ejected

Images and videos on social media show a large hole in the roof of the building east of Los Angeles. Covington says there are no injuries on the ground.

Image courtesy: Twitter

New Delhi: An F-16 fighter jet crashed into a warehouse in Southern California in US, just outside of March Air Reserve Base. Reports say that the F-16 fighter jet was returning to the Base in Moreno Valley of California in the US. Major Perry Covington, director of public affairs at the base, says the pilot ejected before the crash on Thursday and was not hurt, agencies reported. Images and videos on social media show a large hole in the roof of the building east of Los Angeles. Covington says there are no injuries on the ground.

An F-16 plane went down today near March Air Reserve Base in Riverside. Imagine by Jeff Schoffstall. #breakingnews #f16 #fighterjet pic.twitter.com/XrmbmzlOvD

— Carlos Toledo Photo (@_carlostoledo_) May 17, 2019

Video of #F16 moments before it crashed through the roof of a California warehouse. Pilot ejected. pic.twitter.com/cwpY8B0bef

— Doug Dunbar (@cbs11doug) May 17, 2019

Officials say the plane is assigned to the Air National Guard. Interstate 215, which runs near the base, is closed in both directions. The jet slammed into the side of a commercial building off the base, on Van Buren Boulevard, about 3.45 p.m. on Thursday, March Air Reserve Base Deputy Fire Chief Timothy Holliday was quoted as saying. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed on Twitter that the crash occurred around Van Buren and the 215 Freeway, Xinhua news agency reported. "Multiple agencies responding. Please stay out of area and clear emergency vehicles," the department tweeted.

🚨Plane crash🚨 into building, pilot ejected and being medically evaluated. Please stay away from area and clear from emergency vehicles until directed otherwise. Updates to follow.

— Riverside County Sheriff's Dept (@RSO) May 16, 2019

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