David Kaplan Profile picture
Nov 27, 2022 27 tweets 15 min read Read on X
BREAKING:

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue confirms a small plane has crashed into some power lines in the Gaithersburg area.

Plane is still entangled in the lines 100 feet in the air.

2 occupants not hurt.

Widespread power outages in the area.

We're on the way.

#Fox5DC
Here's a look at the current Pepco outages.

According to Pepco, nearly a quarter of their Montgomery County customers don't have power as of this tweet.

We are about 10 minutes away from the scene.

Stay with this Twitter thread for the latest developments.

#Fox5DC
PHOTO OF PLANE ENTANGLED IN WIRES: here’s our first look through #Fox5DC photographer @wagener_joe lens. Last report from Fire and EMS is that pilot and passenger are ok and communicating with 911. #Fox5DC
Here are some pictures of the plane and people looking at it right now. Looks like power in the immediate vicinity is still on. #Fox5DC
Quick video from the scene. Can see onlookers and fire crews figuring this out. #Fox5DC I’m about to hop on a Facebook live- David Kaplan WTTG if you want to join me there.
Nati Abinet came to see this. We’re now told from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue that there are THREE people on board. We are also told these lines are still energized at this time. #Fox5DC twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
CLARIFICATION: Montgomery county has communicated at one point that there are 2 people on board. And at another point that there are 3. Working to confirm exact number. #Fox5DC
UPDATE: @FAANews confirms 2 people on board. The plane took off from White Planes, NY. It’s a single engine Mooney M20J. FAA and NTSB will investigate. #Fox5DC
I’m told it was initially 911 communicating with the pilot. Now there’s a command center up and there’s constant dialogue with the two people inside the plane right now. MoCo Fire and Rescue says main concern is that everything is energized. #Fox5DC
STATEMENT FROM PEPCO: 85k customers without power. Awaiting clearance to be able to get to the tower. #Fox5DC
Just an update from the ground here. Plane remains in the tower. Hundreds still watching from the ground. Waiting on an update from MoCo. #Fox5DC
UPDATE:

We're told to expect a news conference at 9 p.m.

#Fox5DC
Fog has rolled in here. Unclear what that may do to rescue efforts. We’ll be streaming this news conference on Fox5DC.com/live #StayAhead
Montgomery County Public Schools says they’re monitoring, too. #Fox5DC
UPDATE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY: Operation is ongoing. Order of operations here- contractor for power company will come and ground the line to ensure safety for rescuers. Then, the plane will be attached to the tower before extracting the two people inside. #Fox5DC
We’re told another briefing will happen at 10. We will plan to bring that to you live when it happens. Stay with #Fox5DC
Maryland State Police identify the pilot as Patrick Merkle, 65 and Jan Williams, 66. Maryland State Police is lead investigative agency at the state level for plane crashes, MoCo Fire and Rescue says. #Fox5DC
Pepco reporting the number of outages has jumped to over 113,000 in Montgomery County. #Fox5DC
Plane still there. Just saw a specialized bucket truck go up and come down. Unclear where we are in the process, but the work continues. #Fox5DC
Montgomery County Public schools will be closed tomorrow. #Fox5DC
There’s the crane up near the plane. Hard to tell you for sure where the crane is and what’s happening from this vantage point. #Fox5DC
Here’s a look through our cameras viewfinder. Sure looks like crews are very close to the plane. Remember: process here was to fully de-energize the tower, then secure the plane to the tower, then extract passengers. #Fox5DC
Broader, public safety impact. If a stop light is out, treat it as a 4-way intersection. #Fox5DC
UPDATE: Montgomery County has confirmed the de-energizing is done. They’re ABOUT to finish securing the plane. Then they’ll go down, come back up and make the actual extraction. *ESTIMATE* is that they’ll extract around an hour. #Fox5DC
BREAKING: PILOT AND PASSENGER ARE OUT OF THE PLANE. Both have been loaded into ambulances. Here are some loved ones hugging after the female passenger was loaded in. Can tell you some onlookers applauded and thanked rescue teams. #Fox5DC
GOLDSTEIN: Electric grounding finished at 11:30. At 12:15 the plane was secured. First patient out 12:25. Second patient 12:36. Both taken to area trauma centers. Serious injuries. Planning meeting soon and come up with next plan for what happens now. #Fox5DC
I am off to bed. Follow @fox5melanie as she’s at the scene now and will have the latest developments all morning on #Fox5DC

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More from @DKaplanFox5DC

Jul 30, 2022
HAPPENING NOW: @DCPoliceDept has confirmed officer involved shooting in NW. Unclear what happened here. Working to gather details. Investigation looks to be centered on Madison St.. Can see chopper flying overhead. Saw an ambulance leave the scene.Park police cruiser here as well
Here’s a video and chopper flying over the scene. A handful of unmarked officers here as well. #Fox5DC
#Fox5DC has learned of another shooting scene nearby that may be connected to this one. That scene is less than a mile away.
Read 13 tweets
Jul 29, 2022
A 26 year old was the last surviving member of his family. He was found shot to death in his apt last fall. 9 months later, the DC Medical Examiner still lists manner of death ‘undetermined’. His family believes Zack Freeling was murdered. Story here: fox5dc.com/news/nobody-be…
Medical Examimer’s office declined to elaborate on why Freeling’s death was still deemed ‘undetermined’ suggesting I reach out to MPD, who told me they’re still investigating and urged me to reach out to ME. It’s a back and forth Freeling’s family has been stuck in. #Fox5DC
Freeling’s family has been happy with MPDs handling of this investigation but is frustrated that it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. They’ve started a GoFundMe, Justice for Zack Freeling, to pay for private investigators & a reward, hoping someone with more info comes forward.
Read 6 tweets
Apr 6, 2022
HAPPENING NOW: @FBI confirms they’re “conducting court authorized law enforcement activity” on the 900 block of I street SE. This is at Crossing Apartments. Resident tells Me he saw multiple officers in military-style uniforms w/ rifles walking thru building.Waiting to learn more
FBI agents continue walking in and out of the building. Multiple people who live inside have told me they’ve seen NCIS, too. One woman told me she saw postal police.
FBI agents walking in with what appear to be cardboard boxes. #Fox5DC
Read 10 tweets
Apr 6, 2022
Imagine having a bar across the street from Nats Park, gearing up for Opening Day, then being told you have to shut down 20% of your business with 24 hours notice. A reality for @waltersbardc when @DDOTDC told him to take this down during games. We’re live at 10+11 on #Fox5DC
*48 hours notice!! Sorry!!
Walter's owner, Jeremy Gifford says DDOT told him it was a safety issue. And the stop order specifically references taking the structure down for the 3 hours before the game and 2 hours after. Something that's impossible to do with the structure he's built.
Read 12 tweets
Jun 30, 2021
DELTA VARIANT THREAD:

If you're like me, you've seen many seemingly contradictory reports about the Delta variant.

We took our questions to Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease doctor.

Number 1 question we got: Are the vaccines effective?

Short answer: So far, yes.

#WTAE
Dr. Adalja says the Pfizer & Moderna vaccines are showing to be highly effective.

Preliminarily, he says J&J is also showing that it's effective at preventing the Delta variant.

"The vaccines, if you’re fully vaccinated, I think you’re fine from the Delta Variant perspective."
But what about some of these reports we're seeing?

Australia is locking down cities. The World Health Organization is encouraging fully vaccinated people to wear masks. What's going on?

Adalja says, to put it bluntly, the U.S. is more vaccinated than other parts of the world.
Read 8 tweets
Jun 29, 2021
HAPPENING NOW: Former Pittsburgh Police Officer Tony Moreno says he will accept the Republican nomination for mayor of Pittsburgh. News conference about to begin here in Homewood where he’ll lay out his vision for Pittsburgh. #WTAE
Here’s the release in which he said he and his wife “ceremonially” changed their party registration to Republicans, saying the Democratic Party establishment rejected him for “another career policitian that wants to divide this city.” #WTAE
Moreno says his campaign is focused on uniting 90 neighborhoods and getting city out of “corrupt mess”. “I will protect you, Pittsburgh.”
Read 5 tweets

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