ODESSA, Texas — The fatal plane crash that happened in Ector County on Tuesday not only claimed two lives, it also claimed homes and power for some.
Mikey Garcia was among a few people that saw the accident unfold.
"It was something I have never seen before. I was astonished," Garcia said. "I turned to my left and I saw the plane going out of control. It hit some wires and then it hit a working building Dewey's."
Keith Jankowski is the owner of USA K9 Resorts and Training Academy in Odessa. His Tuesday morning started off with more than just a normal dog walk.
"We get an early start at the kennel at 6:45 [a.m.], we walked out Andrews Highway on 67th and on our way back at 6:59 [a.m.], I saw sparks over Yukon Road," Jankowski said.
Jankowski didn't see the plane crash itself, but he was able to capture the explosion on his phone.
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Jankowski said his initial reaction was that the fire could've come from a house or a car, but the sound was so loud he knew something exploded.
His business is less than a block away from Dewey's, the breakfast shop that took most of the impact from the crash.
“It's real, I mean, our facilities, are just 400 yards south of this," Jankowski said. "Could’ve been us I know. I've eaten there before and I was worried when I found out. I did drive around before the roads were closed and I saw that the restaurant was affected and it’s sad."
While the K9s in Jankowski's care weren't harmed, there were still many that lost power, some even lost everything.
That's where the American Red Cross serving the Permian Basin mobilized as quickly as they could.
The executive director of the local Red Cross chapter, Tracy Austin, said a few families came to the shelter and most of them were very distraught and shaken up by the unfortunate events.
"People are without power and so with these hot days the way they've been, we know that people will need air conditioning, cooling, hydration and things like that," Austin said. "We opened the evacuation shelter so we can provide those things while Oncor is working to set everything back up."
Austin said she's heard people say "we don't have emergencies in the Permian Basin," but the truth is they do. Thankfully, West Texas has the resources to handle them.
“I'm really grateful that I work for an organization that can step in immediately and help people with anything they need right away," Austin said.
A lot of local agencies are rallying together to help those affected while a few community members are still trying to wrap their minds around the tragic events.
If anyone or if anyone knows someone who has lost anything as a result of this tragedy, or would like to volunteer to help those families, contact the Red Cross at (432) 562-2267.