Plane crash at Essendon DFO. Picture: 7 News

The aircraft is believed to have clipped a building at the shopping centre close to the Essendon Airport before crashing in a fiery explosion around 9am on Tuesday morning.

Five people were on board the charter flight, which was headed to King Island, Tasmania.

The Beechcraft Super King aircraft was just seconds into its flight when it came in low and fast and hit the complex’s homemaker centre at the rear of the shopping centre. It is understood one of the plane’s twin engines failed after takeoff with police saying the cause of the crash was likely “catastrophic engine failure”.

Witnesses reported a loud and fiery explosion as the aircraft crashed into the shopping, and plumes of thick smoke can still be seen coming from the scene.

One cafe operator who was inside the DFO complex told news.com.au the crash occurred at the rear of the complex’s Spotlight store.

Emergency services have closed the shopping centre and are not allowing anyone to enter.

A second business owner said she saw the crash from the freeway on her way to work.

“I actually saw the explosion. I was coming off the freeway and I saw this huge explosion,” she said.

“There were flames coming out of the roof and all this black smoke.”

Air ambulance crash at Essendon DFO. Picture: 9 NewsSource:Channel 9

Plane crash at Essendon DFO. Picture: 7 NewsSource:Channel 7

The business owner said the aircraft did not make it far.

She said the crash occurred right near the neighbouring Essendon Airport runway.

“They are not letting anyone in at the moment,” she said.

“I haven’t heard anything, so I’m just wondering whether to start up or not.”

Only skeleton staff were present at the time of the crash as stores were not due to open until 10am.

All spotlight staff had been accounted for and police were able to confirm five casualties.

DFO has released a statement advising the complex would stay closed following the incident.

“DFO Essendon is currently closed, after an incident in which a light plane crashed into the rear of the Homemaker Centre this morning. The Centre was not open at the time,” it said.

Witnesses have described the horrific scene from the freeway and surrounding roads.

“There is constant explosions going off, there is black smoke billowing into the sky,” one caller told 3AW on Tuesday.

Another witness, Paul, said the scene was “like the vision you see of an atomic bomb”.

“Just a ball of flame going up in the air,” he said. “It was just surreal to see it happening right next to you.”

All Spotlight staff have been accounted for.Source:News Corp Australia

ABC radio caller Jason was in a taxi when he looked out the window and saw what he thought was a twin-propeller plane, AAP reports.

“I saw this plane coming in really low and fast. It went just behind the barriers so I couldn’t see the impact but when it hit the building there was a massive fireball,” he told ABC 774.

“I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel, it looked like a plane wheel, bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along.

“We kept driving and there was big fireball behind us.”

Dozens of emergency officers are at the scene. Picture: Ian CurrieSource:News Corp Australia

A Channel Nine chopper pilot said the plane made two mayday calls before it went down and that it “cartwheeled” off the roof of the stores.

The five-person Beechcraft airport was a charter plane believed to be heading to King Island.

Victoria’s Police Minister Lisa Neville described the crash as “very tragic accident”, and assured a full suite of emergency services were in force following the incident.

Ambulance Victoria said in an early statement officers did not yet have details of any injuries caused by the incident, and that the aircraft was not theirs, despite earlier reports.

Ambulance and fire crews were responding to the incident.

Victoria Police were working to evacuate the area surrounding the crash site and have advised people to avoid the location.

The aircraft crash has caused significant damage to the building.

A reporter at the scene described the part of the building where the aircraft hit as completely blackened, and the has left a blackened hole in the DFO building where the roof has caved in addition to other damage.

Fire inside the complex caused by the explosion was believed to be still burning, obstructing emergency crews’ access to some parts of the shopping centre.

Witnesses and media said the smell of smoke and burning materials was still strong in the air outside the exclusion zone where they were stationed on the other side of the freeway from the centre.

The crash has thrown Melbourne traffic into chaos with the Tullamarine and Calder freeways now closed. Debris from the crash scattered along nearby roads has led to extended road closures.

A wheel from the plane left on the freeway is believed to have delayed emergency services from reaching the scene.

Motorists are being advised to exit early and avoid the area.

“Expect heavy delays on all detours,” VicRoads warned.

Light plane crash into DFO at Essendon Airport. Picture: Ian CurrieSource:News Corp Australia

VICROADS ADVICE

— The Tullamarine Freeway is closed in both directions between English Street and Pascoe Vale Road.

— The Calder Freeway is closed in both directions between McNamara Avenue and Pascoe Vale Road.

— Bulla Road is closed at the Tullamarine Freeway including the entry ramp to the Tullamarine Freeway inbound.

— All access to the Essendon Airport is closed.

DETOURS:

Inbound

— VicRoads advises motorists to detour via the Western Ring Road to the West Gate Freeway.

Outbound

— VicRoads advises motorists to detour via Pascoe Vale Road to Buckley Street and through to Milleara Road and Keilor Park Drive, and onto the Western Ring Road.

Do you know more? Send your pics and videos to elizabeth.burke@news.com.au