Multiple fatalities reported in fiery Cessna C550 jet crash in US | VIDEO

Statesville: A business jet crashed Thursday at a regional airport in North Carolina frequented by NASCAR teams and Fortune 500 firms, bursting into flames and claiming multiple lives, officials reported.

“I can confirm there were fatalities," Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell stated, declining to specify the number.

The Cessna C550 went down during landing at Statesville Regional Airport shortly after 10 a.m., roughly 45 miles (72 kilometres) north of Charlotte, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The incident unfolded at the runway's end, airport director John Ferguson said.

“The airport now is closed until further notice. It will take some time to get the debris off the runway,” Ferguson told reporters.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA launched probes. AccuWeather noted drizzle and clouds prevailed at the time.

WSOC-TV footage captured first responders dashing to the runway amid fires raging near strewn wreckage.

The airport's site highlights corporate aviation services for Fortune 500 companies and various NASCAR outfits.

With inputs from AP