Elko Plane Crash: Fire, Explosions Reported At Nevada Parking Lot

UPDATE: 8:14 p.m. EST Saturday — All four people aboard an air-ambulance plane taking a heart-disease patient to a Utah hospital were killed as the small plane crashed into Barrick Gold Corporation’s parking lot in Elko, Nevada.

Three crew members and a patient were killed in the crash, American Medflight said Saturday in a statement. The victims were pilot Yuji Irie, medical staff members Jake Sheppard of Utah and Tiffany Urresti, 29, of Elko and patient Edward Clohesey of Spring Creek, Nevada.

Original story:

An small airplane crashed into the parking lot of a business in Elko, Nevada, causing a series of explosions Friday night, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed.

Investigators said four people were on board the Piper PA 31 when it crashed into the parking lot of the Barrick Gold Corp. on Mountain City Highway, which could be seen consumed in flames as locals were evacuated from the area. There have been no reports of casualties.

An employee at the Gold Dust Casino told Fox 13 News a plane crashed into the parking lot, which is next door to the casino and a short distance from Elko Regional Airport. There were also reports of people being evacuated from nearby homes and businesses after the explosions. Several vehicles also caught fire.

Emergency personnel along with the Elko fire, ambulance, and police arrived at the scene soon after the reported crash. Aspen and Cimarron ways as well as the Mountain City Highway were closed and Barrick buses were rerouted to an alternate parking lot on Idaho Street, Elko Daily Free Press reported.