Would you believe this?

Two hero pilots have been praised for preventing scores of potential deaths by dumping plane fuel as their doomed F-18 Navy fighter jet plummeted to the ground in Virginia Beach, Virginia - decisive action that authorities saved the craft from sparking a 'massive, massive fireball'.

Although the plane crashed into an apartment building, ripping the roofs off condos, town houses, and a retirement community, the two crew members safely ejected from the craft. There are no known deaths - but fears remain over three elderly people who are unaccounted for.

Five civilians, as well as the two pilots, who were a student and an instructor, were taken to hospital to be treated, but their injuries were not serious and all but one, a pilot, had been released by Friday evening. 

Rescuers continued to search the wreckage of the Mayfair Mews apartment complex for victims on Friday night; the whereabouts of three residents who live in the block are unknown, Reuters reported.

The terrifying footage and photographs from this afternoon painted a different picture, showing smoke rising from numerous homes and the wreckage of the fuselage laying smoldering on the ground.

Dr. Thomas Thames of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital told WAVY-TV that six people were brought to the hospital, including the two pilots. Two people were treated for smoke inhalation, one fainted at the scene and the other person was a police officer hurt at the scene, he said.

The jet, confirmed to be a Delta two-seat model, crashed at the Mayfield Mews apartment complex, about a mile from the Atlantic Ocean and Virginia Beach. It had 'suffered a catastrophic mechanical malfunction' during a training flight, Navy Captain Mark Weisgerber said from the Pentagon.

The Navy said in a news release that the jet was an F/A-18D assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 106 based at Naval Air Station Ocean. It added that the jet crashed shortly after takeoff at a site near the base at about 12:05 p.m.

Witness Zack Zapatero told CNN that the jet crashed into a building where many senior citizens live. ‘There’s these large fire balls coming up,’ he said.
There were also reports of buildings collapsing.

Bruce Nedelka, the Virginia Beach EMS division chief, said that it seemed like the pilots were dumping the jet’s fuel prior to the crash.

That action likely prevented a massive fireball upon impact, he said. ‘He mitigated what could have been an absolute massive, massive fireball. With all of that jet fuel dumped, it was much less than what it could have been.’

George Pilkington also witnessed the disaster, and told CNN the timeline of events, describing a few large explosions after the initial crash. He said: ‘It was emptying out fuel and the tail end was down. They (the crew members) must have ejected before they came down.’

Mr Pilkington also said the engine sounded like it was ‘straining and stressing’.

Overhead helicopter video from WAVY-TV showed fire crews in the apartment complex with large ladders spraying water on multiple smoking buildings, one of which has part of its roof torn off.

Robert Matthias, assistant to Virginia Beach's city manager, told The Associated Press crews are at the scene of an apartment complex where the jet crashed in what he described as a courtyard. 'So far, they haven't found any casualties,' Mr Matthias said.Speaking five blocks from the smouldering buildings, Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr released a statement on Friday afternoon praising the work of first responders, lauding ‘how quickly and effectively Virginia Beach’s police, fire, and EMS personnel responded to the scene of this horrific crash’.

He added: ‘Their dedication to their jobs, to saving lives, and to public safety is commendable.’

Dozens of firefighters and emergency workers converged on the scene following the crash, covering the apartment complex with foam to quell the flames.

Rescuers worked into the evening checking the buildings for victims. 'We have physically been in every structure, and we have 95 per cent completed the search and rescue,' Virginia Beach Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Tim Riley told Reuters on Friday night.

Residents of the apartment complex described a confusing scene and an apologetic pilot.

Colby Smith said his house started shaking and then the power went out, as he saw a red and orange blaze outside his window. He ran outside, where he saw billowing black smoke and then came upon the pilot as he ran to a friend's home.

'I saw the parachute on the house and he was still connected to it, and he was laying on the ground with his face full of blood,' Smith told WVEC-TV. 'The pilot said, "I'm sorry for destroying your house."'

Smith said he and another man helped the pilot onto the street.