Bergen County officials have identified the co-pilot killed in Monday’s Learjet crash in Carlstadt.
The medical examiner says that the co-pilot was identified as 33-year-old Jeffrey Alino. He was a New Jersey native who graduated from Union Township High School in 2003, according to his Facebook page.
Alino died when he and a yet-to-be identified pilot crashed into a parking lot on Kero Road close to Teterboro airport.
Meanwhile, an extensive cleanup operation is underway at the crash site. Monday’s crash sent debris flying, which caused damage to three buildings and over a dozen vehicles.
“You see flames, you see fire. Then suddenly the cars started to explode,” says United Group employee Eveliz Soto.
A tow truck removed many of the burnt out cars Wednesday. The remains of the Learjet were still on site by Wednesday evening.
United Group is housed in one of three buildings that were damaged by the crash. Employees say that they were able to see the crash right outside their windows.
“From completely blue sky to black smoke,” says employee Crystal Goto. “The entire building shaking and lights going out. It was a terrifying experience for all of us. I froze in the moment.”
United Group has temporarily relocated down the street since they cannot go back into their office for a while.
“There's actually a hole in my ceiling and everything,” Goto says. “All the tiles just on the floor, and the wiring and the poles just came right through.”
The NTSB recovered the plane’s voice recorder Tuesday and are hoping to recover information about the crash.
Officials say that it may take some time to officially identify the pilot in the crash if more DNA tests are needed.
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