(MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md.) — Two people have been rescued from a small private plane after it struck and got lodged in a high-tension power line tower in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Chief Scott Goldstein confirmed both the pilot and passenger were transported to local area trauma centers with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
“There’s some hypothermia issues,” Goldstein said. “They’ve been out there very anxious, but very happy to be down. They were communicating with us the entire time.”
The plane struck the tower at about 5:30 Sunday evening, Goldstein said.
However, rescue work was being delayed until the plane could be secured to the tower and the tower was confirmed to be grounded, according to Goldstein.
The plane, which was stuck about 100 feet off the ground, is “not going to be stable until it’s chained and strapped in place,” said Goldstein, adding that heavy fog in the area could make the task difficult.
About 85,000 Montgomery County customers were without power as a result of the crash, officials with the local power company said on Twitter.
Goldstein said that most of the power in the county has been restored by Pepco.
FAA officials said the plane had departed from Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board said they will investigate the incident.
Montgomery County Public Schools announced earlier that MCPS schools and offices will be closed Monday, Nov. 28 “due to a widespread power outage and its impact on safety and school operations.” There has been no update since most of the power has been restored.
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