Update, 10:50 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26: Capt. Loren McManus with the Sioux Falls police department has confirmed a second fatality in the plane crash.

Earlier story: At least one person is dead after an airplane crashed into a residential neighborhood in Sioux Falls early Tuesday evening.

Reports came into Metro Communications shortly after 5 p.m. that a plane had crashed into a residential neighborhood in the 4200 block of south Birchwood Avenue, causing multiple homes to catch fire.

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Regan Smith, Sioux Falls Emergency Manager, confirmed at least one person succumbed to injuries sustained in the incident, believed to be the pilot of the small frame, small engine aircraft, and there could be more fatalities.

"We're still investigating, and there may be more fatalities," he said during a 7 p.m. briefing with media on scene.

Two homes sustained exterior damage from the crash, Smith said, and four homes were evacuated while fire and emergency crews work to stabilize the scene.

“We’re working this through the evening as far as continuing the search and seeing what’s going on in the neighborhood and making sure that everything is OK," Smith said.

Smith said the plane was southbound when it crashed into the residential neighborhood, leaving a "large debris field associated with the scene" in its wake.

It's unclear the number of occupants in the plane or in the homes. The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct an investigation.

'There was just fire everywhere'

Grace Chinn lives in the house at the corner of Woodwind Lane and 51st Street, just west of one hit by the plane. It crashed in her backyard, and she said she's not sure, but at one point her deck might have been on fire. She and her family were going about their Christmas night when they heard the crash.

"We felt it more than heard it," Chinn said. "It shook our whole house."

The family was evacuated not long after the crash.

Across the street on 51st Street, neighbor Brian Monahan was wrapping up desserts and a gift exchange with his family when he saw the plane out his front window. As it nosedived into the space between the two homes, he rushed to help.

"I sprinted over there and there was just fire everywhere," Monahan said. "It was hard to tell what was plane."

He estimated 20 others were there to help within a few minutes, grabbing fire extinguishers and putting out a fire on a neighboring deck before police and fire officials arrived on scene.

His daughter, Quinn Monahan called 911 immediately. It wasn't long before a crowd of dozens of people came out to see the aftermath of the crash.

"I've never seen that many people in my neighborhood," Monahan said.

Neighbor Tim Helgeson, who lives across from Chinn on the west side of Woodwind Lane, said he heard a commotion and saw what he described as a fireball outside his window, and he thought a house exploded. He tried calling 911 five times, but the line was busy.

"It felt like a cement truck racing down the street and then, boom," Helgeson said.

T.J. Nelson, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Paul TenHaken, declined to comment until the scene was secured and more information about the incident becomes clear.

Sioux Falls City Council Rick Kiley, who represents the neighborhood and lives a few blocks away, offered his sympathies.

"This is a terrible tragedy anytime but to have it occur on Christmas just makes it even worse," he said. "My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this terrible event."

More information is expected to be released during the regular police briefing at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Watch live on argusleader.com and follow @argus911 on Twitter for updates.

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