Eight reported dead as small plane crashes into building in Milan

(AP) - Eight people are believed to have died when a small, private plane crashed into a two-story office building in a Milan suburb on Sunday.

The LaPresse news agency initially quoted firefighters at the scene saying the pilot, co-pilot and five passengers aboard were killed.

But later LaPresse and other media said there were eight people aboard the flight, including a boy.

Rai state TV said the passengers were believed to be French.

Fire officials could not immediately be reached to confirm the nationalities or the number of people aboard the plane.

Firefighters tweeted that no one other than those aboard were involved in the early afternoon crash near a subway station in San Donato Milanese, a small town near Milan.

They said several cars in a nearby parking lot were set ablaze, but apparently the vehicles were unoccupied at the time.

A thick column of dark smoke rose from the crash site and was visible for miles.

Firefighters were extinguishing the flames of the now-charred building, which reportedly was under renovation.