Northern Wyoming plane crash causes fatalities, sparks wildfire

GILLETTE, Wyoming. — A plane crash in a remote area of ​​northeastern Wyoming has killed an unknown number of people and sparked a wildfire, authorities said Friday.

The plane crashed around 1 p.m. north of the city of Gillette, near the Wyoming state line, Campbell County officials said in a social media post. The death toll was not immediately released.

A distress signal was sent from the plane before the crash, Campbell County Undersheriff Quentin Reynolds told the Gillette News RecordCallers later reported seeing columns of smoke rising into the sky near the suspected crash site, he said.

Officials said the forest fire caused by the crash was extinguished using aircraft, heavy equipment and operators.

According to local officials, the National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to investigate.

Federal investigators were not on the scene of the remote crash site Friday evening, NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said. More information was expected to be released Saturday.

A Campbell County spokesperson was not immediately available for further comment.