A small plane crashed through the window of a commercial manufacturing building in Southern California on Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring a further 18, police said.

The incident occurred near Fullerton Municipal Airport, which is 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

"There are two confirmed fatalities," Fullerton police said on X. 

However, the identities of the victims were still unknown, including whether they were in the plane or on the ground.

The police added that 10 people had been taken to hospital and a further eight treated at the scene after the plane entered the furniture building.

Plane travelled only a short distance

Flight-tracking website FlightAware suggested the plane was in the air for less than two minutes after taking off from Fullerton Municipal Airport in Orange County before the accident.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a single- engine Van's RV-10, a four-seat aircraft.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also added in a social media post that it is investigating the crash. 

km/jsi (AP/AFP)