Several persons have been feared dead in a plane crash near the Tierrasanta neighbourhood in San Diego, officials say. 

The small jet crashed on Thursday into the neighbourhood, destroying several homes and rendering scores of residents homeless. 

Although it was not immediately clear how many people were on the plane, the New York Times reported. 

Dan Eddy, San Diego’s assistant fire chief, who confirmed the incident, said the number of people onboard of the Cessna Citation jet was not immediately known. 

Mr Eddy explained that there had been multiple fatalities among people on the plane.

“The aircraft, a Cessna Citation jet, can carry up to 10 people, crashed in Murphy Canyon near the Tierrasanta neighbourhood just before 4 a.m.,” he said. 

The fire chief disclosed that about 100 residents of the Tierrasanta neighbourhood had been evacuated. 

The Tierrasanta neighbourhood is also a home to many military families. 

The San Diego Police boss, Scott Wahl, said multiple homes caught fire and were destroyed, saying the scene of the crash was horrific to see.

“I can’t quite put words to describe what the scene looked like with the jet fuel running down the streets and everything on fire all at once,” Mr Wahl said. 

The incident came barely five years after a small plane en route to the same airport crashed in the town of Santee, northeast of San Diego, clipping a UPS truck and destroying two homes. 

The driver of the UPS truck and the pilot were killed in the crash.